«Cavendus est error Platonis»: Albert the Great on the Mathematical Foundation of Physics

In several places of his works, Albert the Great maintains that metaphysics should provide the foundation of particular sciences. In this framework Albert also includes a criticism of an error he ascribes to Plato: in Plato’s view, Albert reports, physical realities would be grounded on mathematical ones. On the other hand, Albert himself, while denying that physical realities may be grounded on mathematical ones, seems to maintain that mathematics enjoys an objective priority over physics. In this article I try to provide an interpretation of Albert’s criticism of Plato and to explain how Albert’s own view differs from the one he labels ‘Plato’s error’.