268 PHYSICAL SCIENCE IN THE MIDDLE AGES. 



His work entitled The Destructions of the Philo- 

 sophers, is known to us by the refutation of it 

 which Averrhoes published, under the title of 

 Destruction of Algazels Destructions of the Phi- 

 losophers. It appears that he contested the fun- 

 damental principles both of the Platonic and of the 

 Aristotelian schools, and denied the possibility of a 

 known connexion between cause and effect ; thus 

 making a prelude, says Degerando, to the celebrated 

 argumentation of Hume (K). 



6. Neglect of Physical Reasoning in Christen- 

 dom. If the Arabians, who, during the ages of 

 which we are speaking, were the most eminent 

 cultivators of science, entertained only such com- 

 paratively feeble and servile notions of its doctrines, 

 it will easily be supposed, that in the Christendom 

 of that period, where physical knowledge was com- 

 paratively neglected, there was still less distinctness 

 and vividness in the prevalent ideas on such subjects. 

 Indeed, during a considerable period of the history 

 of the Christian church, and by many of its principal 

 authorities, the study of natural philosophy was not 

 only disregarded but discommended. The great 

 practical doctrines which were presented to men's 

 minds, and the serious tasks, of the regulation of 

 the will and affections, which religion impressed 

 upon them, made inquiries of mere curiosity seem 

 to be a reprehensible misapplication of human 

 powers; and many of the fathers of the church 

 revived, in a still more peremptory form, the opi- 



