When and where was Lynn Thorndike born?
Lynn Thorndike entered the world on the 24th of July 1882 in Lynn, Massachusetts. He was born into a family of scholars and clergy.
Questions about Lynn Thorndike
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What universities did Lynn Thorndike attend for his degrees?
The young man attended Wesleyan University located in Middletown, Connecticut where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree by 1902. He then moved to Columbia University to pursue deeper studies in medieval history and completed both a Master of Arts and a doctorate within the single year of 1903.
How long did Lynn Thorndike teach at Columbia University?
Columbia University recruited him away from that position during the fall of 1924. He taught at Columbia for over four decades until his retirement from active instruction in 1950.
What major work did Lynn Thorndike publish between 1923 and 1958?
Thorndike published an eight-volume series titled A History of Magic and Experimental Science between 1923 and 1958. These volumes linked medieval magic with the historical development of experimental science spanning early Christianity through the end of the seventeenth century.
Why did Lynn Thorndike disagree with Jacob Burckhardt about the Renaissance?
Swiss historian Jacob Burckhardt argued that the Italian Renaissance represented a separate phase of history. Thorndike disagreed with this view and believed most political social moral and religious phenomena defined as Renaissance existed continuously from the twelfth century all the way to the eighteenth century.
When did Lynn Thorndike receive the Sarton Medal?
The History of Science Society awarded him the Sarton Medal in 1957 recognizing his contributions to the field. He had previously served as president of that society in 1929 before taking on leadership roles elsewhere.