An Introduction to the History of Science

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Libby, Walter, 1867-

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource : multiple file formats

Place of Publication:

Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg,

Summary:

"An Introduction to the History of Science" by Walter Libby is a historical account written in the early 20th century. The work provides an overview of the development of scientific thought from ancient civilizations such as Egypt and Babylon through to the Greeks and Romans, emphasizing the practical roots of scientific inquiry. It aims to present science as a dynamic, collective pursuit shaped by various cultures and historical contexts. The opening of the book delves into the significance of early scientific practices among ancient civilizations, particularly highlighting Egypt and Babylon. It discusses how these societies created essential systems of measurement and timekeeping, such as the seven-day week and the divisions of the compass, driven by practical needs. The text illustrates that the understanding of astronomy, geometry, and medicine emerged predominantly from efforts to address life's challenges, setting the stage for science as an evolving narrative intertwined with human progress and societal needs. This initial chapter lays a foundation for the subsequent exploration of scientific development, emphasizing its continuity and interconnectedness throughout history. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Contents:

Science and practical needs: Egypt and Babylonia

The influence of abstract thought: Greece: Aristotle

Scientific theory subordinated to application: Rome: Vitruvius

The continuity of science: the medieval church and the Arabs

The classification of the sciences: Francis Bacon

Scientific method: Gilbert, Galileo, Harvey, Descartes

Science as measurement: Tycho Brahe, Kepler, Boyle

Coöperation in science: the Royal Society

Science and the struggle for liberty: Benjamin Franklin

The interaction of the sciences: Werner, Hutton, Black, Hall, William Smith

Science and religion: Kant, Lambert, Laplace, Sir William Herschel

The reign of law: Dalton, Joule

The scientist: Sir Humphry Davy

Scientific prediction: the discovery of Neptune

Science and travel: the voyage of the Beagle

Science and war: Pasteur, Lister

Science and invention: Langley's aeroplane

Scientific hypothesis: radioactive substances

The scientific imagination

Science and democratic culture.

Credits:

E-text prepared by Charlene Taylor, Paul Clark, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made available by Internet Archive/American Libraries (http://archive.org/details/americana)

Notes:

Reading ease score: 49.9 (College-level). Difficult to read.

Release date is 2012-09-07