Medicine, anatomy, astronomy, mathematics and cosmology, science began with the Greeks, and Plato, Aristotle, Pythagoras, Archimedes and Hippocrates were amongst its stars. That man ever managed to develop a "scientific" attitude to the natural world at all is one of the true wonders of human thought.
Eureka! shows how, free from intellectual and religious dogma, these early thinkers rejected myths and capricious gods and, in distinguishing between the natural and supernatural, effectively discovered nature.
Andrew Gregory, Professor of History and Philosophy of Science at University College London unravels the genesis of science in this fascinating exploration of the origins of Western civilisation, and our desire for a rational, legitimating system of the world.
Review
'An excellent summary of why modern science should thanks these pioneers...5 out of 5' -- Focus 'Anybody interested in a readable and engaging account of the background behind the landmarks of science need travel no further than Icon's fascinating treatments of our scientific history' -- Steve Jones, author of The Serpent's Promise 'Somehow everyone from Thales, Anaximander, Anaximenes and Pythagorus to Democritus, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and Archimedes has been crammed into this readable, pocket-sized primer' -- New Scientist
From the Publisher
That man ever managed to develop a ‘scientific’ attitude to the natural world is one of the true wonders of human thought. And answering the question of where and how this attitude began can help us better understand the world we live in and the science that governs it.
Eureka! shows that science began with the Greeks. Disciplines as diverse as Medicine, Biology, Engineering, Mathematics and Cosmology all have their roots in the Ancient Greeks. Plato, Aristotle, Pythagoras, Archimedes and Hippocrates were amongst its stars, master architects all of the modern as well as the ancient. What lay behind this colossal eruption of scientific activity?
Free from intellectual and religious dogma, the Greeks rejected explanation in terms of myths and capricious gods and in distinguishing between the natural and supernatural, they effectively discovered nature. Theories began to be tested leading a rapid increase in their sophistication with new and better ones being developed. Furthermore, they came to be conscious of the distinction between science and technology.
Andrew Gregory unravels the genesis of science in this fascinating exploration of the origins of Western civilisation, and out desire for a rational, legitimating system of the world.
Series: Icon Science
Paperback: 160 pages
Publisher: Icon Books; Reprint edition (May 23, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-13: 9781785781919