Ebook: History of science : antiquity to 1700

Science is often characterized by ideas that have an enormously long shelf life, linking widely separated eras. Our notions of "science" and "scientists" date only to the 19th century. Before then, "science" simply meant knowledge; the label of "scientist" did not exist. Instead, the study of the natural world was known as "natural philosophy." The great philosophers Plato and Aristotle are still considered two of the most influential figures in the history of science. Dr. Principe surveys the history of scientific thought and activity in the western world beginning with the ancient Babylonians and Egyptians, through the early eighteenth century. Lectures presented by Lawrence M. Principe, Professor of Chemistry and the History of Science, Medicine, and Technology at Johns Hopkins University.  Read more...