Landmarks in Western Science: From Prehistory to the Atomic AgePsychology Press, 1999 - 256 pages "In the course of his stimulating and wide-ranging survey, Whitfield describes the long and complex process of discovery that lies behind that achievement, from the earliest times up to the mid-20th century. He shows how people with enquiring minds and a range of beliefs have tried to 'build bridges between nature and eternity', and he argues that the history of science, like that of art, is not a simple progression from lower to higher, but a sequence of responses to the world, conditioned by historical circumstances."--Jacket. |
Contents
Preface | 8 |
Chapter Two The Classical Achievement | 28 |
Chapter Three Science in Religious Cultures | 50 |
Chapter Four The Problem of the Renaissance | 90 |
Chapter Five Science Reborn | 120 |
Chapter Seven The Machine Age | 182 |
the New Labyrinth | 225 |
Other editions - View all
Landmarks in Western Science: From Prehistory to the Atomic Age Peter Whitfield No preview available - 2004 |
Landmarks in Western Science: From Prehistory to the Atomic Age Peter Whitfield No preview available - 1999 |
Common terms and phrases
Abu Mashar achievement al-Khwarizmi al-Razi Almagest analysed animal Arabic Aristotelian Aristotle astrolabe astrology astronomy atom Averroes became belief body British Library calculated celestial spheres central centre century chemical chemistry Christian classical concept constellations Copernican Copernicus cosmic cosmology cosmos Descartes discovery disease distance divine doctrine earth Egyptians eighteenth-century electricity elements energy example existence experiments explain figure force function fundamental galaxies Galen Galileo geometry Greek heat heavens human ideas important intellectual Islamic Islamic science Kepler knowledge Landmarks in Western language laws light magnetic mathematics matter measure mechanism medicine medieval Moon motion movement natural philosophy Newton observation orbit original Paracelsus particles Pasteur physics planetary planets Plato principle problem Ptolemy Ptolemy's rational realm Regiomontanus religion Religious Cultures Renaissance result revolution Science in Religious scientific scientists seen species stars structure substances texts theory thought tion traditional Tycho universe Vesalius weight Western Science