Reference no: EM133733483

Hypatia of Alexandria was a brilliant philospher and mathematician. Despite living in a time of male dominance, Hypatia taught at the famous school at the Alexandria library, one of the greatest libraries in the history of the world. She taught mathematics and natural philosophy and authored at least three major treatises on geometry and algebra and one on astronomy (unfortunately none have survived). Hypatia also is credited with inventing (or at least lecturing on) several new inventions: one for distilling water, one for measuring the specific gravity of water, a type of astrolabe and a planisphere (astronomical tools).

As Christian faith and Greco-Roman science came into conflict, Hypatia wrote a friend

All formal dogmatic religions are fallacious and must never be accepted by self-respecting persons as final.

Reserve your right to think, for even to think wrongly is better than not to think at all.

To teach superstitions as truth is a most terrible thing.

In 415 C.E. Hypatia was attacked by a Christian mob (thought to be a group of monks). They stripped her and tore her apart (variously described as using oyster shells or pieces of broken pottery). She was purportedly then dragged through the streets and then burned on the steps of the great Alexandrian library.

Some scholars have argued that Hypatia's death marks the end of classical free inquiry and the beginning of religious fanaticism. Do you agree? What other factors might explain Hypatia's horrible demise? What factors do think motivated the murder? Do you agree or disagree with Hypatia's sentiments quoted above and why?