Very Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring Ancient
Greece is often considered to be the birthplace of science and
medicine, and the explanation of natural phenomena without recourse
to supernatural causes. These early natural philosophers - lovers
of wisdom concerning nature - sought to explain the order and
composition of the world, and how we come to know it. They were
particularly interested in what exists and how it is ordered:
ontology and cosmology. They were also concerned with how we come
to know (epistemology) and how best to live (ethics). At the same
time, the scientific thinkers of early Greece and Rome were also
influenced by ideas from other parts of the world, and incorporated
aspects of Egyptian, Babylonian, and Indian science and mathematics
in their studies. In this Very Short Introduction Liba Taub gives
an overview of the major developments in early science between the
8th century BC and 6th century AD. Focussing on Greece and Rome,
Taub challenges a number of modern misconceptions about science in
the classical world, which has often been viewed with a modern lens
and by modern scientists, such as the misconception that little
empirical work was conducted, or that the Romans did not 'do'
science, unlike the Greeks. Beginning with the scientific notions
of Thales, Pythagoras, Parmenides and other Presocratics, she moves
on to Plato and Aristotle, before considering Hellenistic science,
the influence of the Stoics and Epicurean ideas, and the works of
Pliny the Elder, Eratosthenes, and Ptolemy. In her sweeping
discussion, Taub explores the richness and creativity of ideas
concerning the natural world and its function in the ancient world,
and the influence these ideas have had on later centuries. ABOUT
THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford
University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every
subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get
ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts,
analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make
interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
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