The Evolution of Science

Abstracts

This chapter explains how our present conception of science is the result of a long evolution starting in ancient Greece. In particular four Greek ideas are pointed out as being crucial elements in scientific thinking: The first is the conviction that properties and events in nature could be understood as the result of natural processes, not as the effect of actions of gods and other supernatural agents. The second is the view that knowledge could be achieved by rational argumentation, not conveyed from holy authorities. The third is the idea that a science should be systematic body of knowledge and the fourth component is the discovery of logic as a basic ingredient in rational thinking.

During medieval times the common belief was that ancient scholars, such as Euclid, Galen and Aristotle, had discovered the final truth in their respective domains of inquiry and their books were treated as the real source of knowledge; there was little interest in observation and natural studies. However, the interest in the natural world gradually increased and in the sixteenth century the notion that man could acquire new knowledge by observing nature and performing experiments became common; the scientific revolution got traction.

And which of the gods was it that set them on to quarrel? It was the son of Jove and Leto; for he was angry with the king and sent a pestilence upon the host to plague the people, because the son of Atreus had dishonoured Chryses, his priest. Now Chryses had come to the ships of the Achaeans to free his daughter, and had brought with him a great ransom: moreover he bore in his hand the sceptre of Apollo wreathed with a suppliant’s wreath and he besought the Achaeans, but most of all the two sons of Atreus, who were their chiefs.

Homer: Iliad