1st Edition
How Modern Science Came into the World Four Civilizations, One 17th-Century Breakthrough
By Floris Cohen
Copyright 2012
824 Pages
by
Routledge
824 Pages
by
Routledge
Once upon a time 'The Scientific Revolution of the 17th century' was an innovative concept that inspired a stimulating narrative of how modern science came into the world. Half a century later, what we now know as 'the master narrative' serves rather as a strait-jacket — so often events and contexts just fail to fit in. No attempt has been made so far to replace the master narrative. H. Floris... Read more
Preface, Prologue, Part I. Nature-Knowledge in Traditional Society, I. Greek foundations, Chinese contrasts, II. Greek nature-knowledge transplanted: the islamic world, III. Greek nature-knowledge transplanted in part: medieval Europe, IV. Greek nature-knowledge transplanted, and more: renaissance Europe, Part II. Three revolutionary transformations, V. The first transformation: realist-mathematical science, VI. The second transformation: a kinetic-corpuscularian philosophy of nature, VII. The third transformation: to find facts through experiment, VIII. Concurrence explained, IX. Prospects around 1640, Part III. Dynamics of the Revolution, X. Achievements and limitations of realist-mathematical science, XI. Achievements and limitations of kinetic corpuscularianism, XII. Legitimacy in the balance, XIII. Achievements and limitations of fact-finding experimentalism, XIV. Nature-knowledge decompartmentalized, XV. The fourth transformation: corpuscular motion geometrized, XVI. The fifth transformation: the baconian brew, XVII. Legitimacy of a new kind, XVIII. Nature-knowledge by 1684: the achievement so far, XIX. The sixth transformation: the newtonian synthesis, Epilogue, Notes on literature used, Endnotes, Name index, Subject index.
Biography
H. Floris Cohen is professor of comparative history of science at Utrecht University.
