On the Origin of Clockwork, Perpetual Motion Devices, and the Compass

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Price, Derek J. de Solla (Derek John de Solla), 1922-1983.

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource : multiple file formats

Place of Publication:

Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg,

Summary:

"On the Origin of Clockwork, Perpetual Motion Devices, and the Compass" by Derek J. de Solla Price is a scientific publication written in the mid-20th century. This work delves into the historical development and origin of various mechanical devices, including clocks and compasses, highlighting their evolution over two millennia across different cultures. Price aims to clarify misconceptions and establish a more cohesive understanding of how these technological advancements arose and influenced each other. At the start of the work, the author introduces the complexity of tracing the origins of mechanical clocks and the magnetic compass, revealing how common misunderstandings have perpetuated inaccuracies in their histories. He argues against the traditional view that simpler timekeeping devices like sundials directly led to the mechanical clock, proposing instead that they evolved from sophisticated astronomical models developed in ancient cultures. The opening sets the stage for a comprehensive examination of the technological progression from early gearing in different civilizations to the intricate mechanics of clocks and the interplay with concepts like perpetual motion and magnetism. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Credits:

Produced by Chris Curnow, Turgut Dincer, Joseph Cooper and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net.

Notes:

Reading ease score: 57.2 (10th to 12th grade). Somewhat difficult to read.

Release date is 2009-09-16