“Mathematics ranked among the highest forms of worship, for God had created the world, as scripture said, according to number, measure, and weight. To study science was to approach the mind of God”. Pope Sylvester was known as one of the greatest scientists of his time. He was previously known as Gerbert of Aurillac. Gerbert made an impact on the future study of math and science by bringing Muslim learning through a dynamic study of the quadrivium to Europe. Regardless of initial rejection due to Europe’s scholastic ways, the discoveries and knowledge Gerbert has contributed to Europe made a lasting impact on math and science throughout time and still does today.
Gerbert was born in the region of Auvergne in central France. He wanted to become a monk so around 963 he entered the monastery of St. Gerald in Aurillac. It was a strict Benedictine monastery and was independent of any local control, being subject only to the Pope in Rome. There he studied his Latin grammar. A visiting count from Spain was asked to take the bright young monk with him to Spain so he could study mathematics there. In 967, Gerbert was put in the care of the bishop of Vic in Catalunya. He had a cathedral school where Gerbert studied arithmetic, geometry and astronomy. The school benefited from the frequent interaction and communication
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Many teachers were not qualified to teach the quadrivium because of its complexity, therefore it was rarely taught, but since Gerbert learned with Muslims he was allowed to teach it. He introduced the abacus to Europe, and was the first Christian to teach math using the nine Arabic numerals. The abacus is a calculating tool that was in use centuries before the adoption of the written modern numeral system, discovered by the Chinese. These advances in education had a great impact on