Bartolomé de Medina
Encyclopedia
Bartolomé de Medina, Spanish
theologian and mining specialist, was born in Medina de Rioseco
, Spain
in 1527. A member of the Dominican Order
and a student of Francisco de Vitoria
, he was professor of theology at the University of Salamanca
and a member of the School of Salamanca
. He is best known as the originator of the doctrine of probabilism
in moral theology
, which holds that one may follow a course of action that has some probability, even if the opposite is more probable. He died at Salamanca in 1581.
A completely different person - though even confused by Enc.Brit. 2010 s.v. Bartolomé de Medina - is another Bartolomé de Medina, businessman of Sevilla, who learned from a certain German Leonard the use of mercury and hereby improved the process of amalgamization of silver with mercury while mining in Mexico (1554?/1557?), especially in Pachuca de Soto (50 miles north of Mexico City), hereby revolutionizing the extraction of silver for more than two and a half centuries. This "dry" method of amalgamating mercury and silver, the so called "patio process", seems partly have been in use by the native Indians too. It avoided - due to the circumstances in the tree- and waterless highlands - the large quantities of wood and water which were necessary and in great quantities available in Europe.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
theologian and mining specialist, was born in Medina de Rioseco
Medina de Rioseco
Medina de Rioseco is a municipality located in the province of Valladolid, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 5,037 inhabitants. During the Peninsular War, it was here that the Battle of Medina del Rioseco took place on July 14,...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
in 1527. A member of the Dominican Order
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
and a student of Francisco de Vitoria
Francisco de Vitoria
Francisco de Vitoria, OP was a Spanish Renaissance Roman Catholic philosopher, theologian and jurist, founder of the tradition in philosophy known as the School of Salamanca, noted especially for his contributions to the theory of just war and international law...
, he was professor of theology at the University of Salamanca
University of Salamanca
The University of Salamanca is a Spanish higher education institution, located in the town of Salamanca, west of Madrid. It was founded in 1134 and given the Royal charter of foundation by King Alfonso IX in 1218. It is the oldest founded university in Spain and the third oldest European...
and a member of the School of Salamanca
School of Salamanca
The School of Salamanca is the renaissance of thought in diverse intellectual areas by Spanish and Portuguese theologians, rooted in the intellectual and pedagogical work of Francisco de Vitoria...
. He is best known as the originator of the doctrine of probabilism
Probabilism
In theology and philosophy, probabilism refers to an ancient Greek doctrine of academic skepticism. It holds that in the absence of certainty, probability is the best criterion...
in moral theology
Christian ethics
The first recorded meeting on the topic of Christian ethics, after Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, Great Commandment, and Great Commission , was the Council of Jerusalem , which is seen by most Christians as agreement that the New Covenant either abrogated or set aside at least some of the Old...
, which holds that one may follow a course of action that has some probability, even if the opposite is more probable. He died at Salamanca in 1581.
A completely different person - though even confused by Enc.Brit. 2010 s.v. Bartolomé de Medina - is another Bartolomé de Medina, businessman of Sevilla, who learned from a certain German Leonard the use of mercury and hereby improved the process of amalgamization of silver with mercury while mining in Mexico (1554?/1557?), especially in Pachuca de Soto (50 miles north of Mexico City), hereby revolutionizing the extraction of silver for more than two and a half centuries. This "dry" method of amalgamating mercury and silver, the so called "patio process", seems partly have been in use by the native Indians too. It avoided - due to the circumstances in the tree- and waterless highlands - the large quantities of wood and water which were necessary and in great quantities available in Europe.