| Description |
1 online resource (viii, 336 pages) : illustrations |
| Contents |
I: The role of empirical work; Acknowledgments; Introduction; I:The development of Plato's views; II: Why teleology?; III: Plato and scientific realism; IV: Observation and experiment; V: Geometrical atomism; 1. Cosmology, Cosmogony and Teleology; I: Plato and modern cosmology; II: The chaos of the elements; III: Chaos and cosmogony; IV: Atomists, physiologoi and cosmoi; V: Recurring cosmological problems; VI: Biology and zoogony; VII: Empedocles; VIII: The shapes and sizes of atoms; IX : A teleological cosmos vs. multiple entities; X: Cosmological reasons for teleology |
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2. Astronomy, Observation and ExperimentI: Two worlds and investigation; II: The dynamics of investigation; III: Vlastos on investigation; IV: Doing astronomy and teaching astronomy; V: 'Real'astronomy; VI: The Republic and other works; VII: Celestial motion in the Republic; VIII: Timaeus 68b-d; IX: Plato and experiment; 3. Meno's Paradox and Underdetermination; I: The modern underdetermination problem; II: The Duhem-Quine thesis; III: Meno's paradox; IV: Socrates' autobiography; V: Teleology and the Phaedo; VI: Healthy hypotheses; VII: Teleology and epistemology |
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VIII: Duhem and instrumentalismIX: Saving the phenomena; 4. Celestial Motion in the Timaeus; I: Disorderly and degenerating cosmologies; II: The myth of the Politicus; III: Celestial motion in the Timaeus; IV: Celestial motion in later Plato; V: The Politicus myth and the Timaeus; VI: Reason and necessity; VII: Implications for causation; VIII: Political, social and moral decline; IX: The implications of a stable cosmology 121; 5. Plato and the Development of Greek Astronomy; I: The Republic and the myth of E r; II : The Timaeus model; III: Retrogression and deviation i n latitude |
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IV: Venus, Mercury and the contrary powerV: Eclipses and occlusions; VI: Variations in planetary velocity and distance; VII: Prototype or finished article?; VIII: The astronomical and cosmological traditions; IX: Plato and Eudoxus; X: Meno's paradox and astronomy; 6. Plato and the Development of Greek Cosmology; I:Plato and the Presocratics; II:Plato and geocentrism; III: The Greeks and geocentrism; IV: The animate heavens; V: Nomological realism; VI: Civil law and physical law; VII: Analogues for physical processes; VIII: Plato and subsequent astronomy; IX: Plato and subsequent cosmology |
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7. Geometrical Atomism -- F l u x and LanguageI: The receptacle and language; II: Some paradoxes; III: Geometrical atomism; IV: Letters, syllables and triangles; V: The evidence of Aristotle; VI: The ageing process; VII: The gold example; VIII: Geometrical atomism and Socrates' dream; IX: Geometrical atomism and language; 8. Geometrical Atomism -- Matter and Space; I: The receptacle and metaphors; II: The Timaeus and empty space; III: Material metaphors; IV:Spatial metaphors; V: The receptacle and qualities; VI: Perception in the Timaeus and Theaetetus; VII: The evidence of Aristotle |
| Summary |
In this illuminating book Andrew Gregory takes an original approach to Plato's philosophy of science by reassessing Plato's views on how we might investigate and explain the natural world. He demonstrates that many of the common charges against Plato - disinterest, ignorance, dismissal of observation - are unfounded, and shows instead that Plato had a series of important and cogent criticisms to make of the early atomists and other physiologoi. Plato's views on science, and on astronomy and cosmology in particular, are shown to have developed in interesting ways. Thus, the book argues, Plato c |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references (pages 307-324) and index |
| Notes |
English |
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Print version record |
| Subject |
Plato -- Contributions in science
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| SUBJECT |
Plato fast |
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Flaemmings, Friederich gnd |
| Subject |
Science -- Philosophy.
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SCIENCE -- Philosophy & Social Aspects.
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Science
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Science -- Philosophy
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Wissenschaftsphilosophie
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Natuurwetenschappen.
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Wetenschapsfilosofie.
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| Form |
Electronic book
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| LC no. |
2004351582 |
| ISBN |
9781472502377 |
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147250237X |
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9781472597854 |
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1472597850 |
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9781472502384 |
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1472502388 |
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