Publisher Description

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. The 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 wereparticularly 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 alsoinfluenced 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 BCE and 6th century CE. 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 modernlens 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 the influence these ideas have had on later centuries. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from OxfordUniversity 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.

Author Biography

Liba Taub is Professor of History and Philosophy of Science, in the Department of the History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Cambridge, and Director and Curator of the Whipple Museum of the History of Science.She is a Fellow of Newnham College. Her books include The Cambridge Companion to Ancient Greek and Roman Science (2020); The Cambridge History of Science, vol. 1: Ancient Science (2018), co-edited with Alexander Jones; andScience Writing in Greco-Roman Antiquity (2017).

Table of Contents

Introduction1: Expert poets2: Inventing nature3: Those clever Greeks4: Let no one unskilled in geometry enter here5: A theory of everything6: Old school ties7: Roman Natura8: How high the moon? River Deep Mountain High9: Is there scientific progress?10: Going by the book - or not11: Beyond antiquityAncient Science timelineFurther ReadingIndex

Review

For anyone wanting a stimulating and accessible way into a new subject, Liba Taub's Ancient Greek and Roman Science: A Very Short Introduction achieves its goal...The book, and presumably each in the series, is tiny at only 7 inches tall and 4.5 inches wide, light to hold, and bendable at the spine. It's a diminutive treat to tuck away in a bag for easy access on a train or in a cafe where one might have time for an "accessible" overview of a dense subject. * Nathalie R. Roy, The Classical Review *
Taub focuses on ancient science rather than technology, and takes her reader on a whirlwind tour through cosmology, astronomy, physiology, maths, geometry, medicine, and more, always careful to provide intellectual and cultural contexts for her observations and to educate the reader in the most economic and efficient fashion. * Greece & Rome *

Long Description

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 wereparticularly 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 werealso 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 modernlens 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 ShortIntroductions 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 expertauthors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Feature

Offers an overview of ancient Greek and Roman scientific thought and practiceConsiders the broader cultural settings in which scientific and mathematical work was undertakenDiscusses the influence of scientific and mathematical work in other ancient cultures, including Babylonian, Egyptian, and IndianShows the lasting impact of ancient theories which are still discussed by scientists todayPart of the Very Short Introductions series - over ten million copies sold worldwide

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