1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910460769103321

Autore

Gregory Andrew <1960->

Titolo

Plato's philosophy of science / Andrew Gregory

Pubbl/distr/stampa

London, : Duckworth, 2000

ISBN

1-4725-9785-0

1-4725-0237-X

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (349 p.)

Disciplina

501

Soggetti

Science - Philosophy - History - To 1500

Science, Ancient

Astronomy, Ancient

Cosmology, Ancient

Atomism

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Description based upon print version of record.

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references (pages [307]-324) and index

Nota di contenuto

Acknowledgements -- Introduction -- 1. Cosmology, Cosmogony and Teleology -- 2. Astronomy, Observation and Experiment -- 3. Meno's Paradox and Underdetemination -- 4. Celestial Motion in the Timaeus -- 5. Plato and the Development of Greek Astronomy -- 6. Plato and the Development of Greek Cosmology -- 7. Geometrical Atomism - Flux and Language -- 8. Geometrical Atomism - Matter and Space -- 9. Epistemology in the Timaeus and Philebus -- 10. Conclusion -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index Locorum -- Index of names -- General index

Sommario/riassunto

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 can best be seen as a philosopher struggling with the foundations of scientific realism, and



as someone, moreover, who has interesting epistemological, cosmological and nomological reasons for his approach. Plato's Philosophy of Science is important reading for all those with an interest in Ancient Philosophy and the History of Science.