Early Physics and Astronomy: A Historical Introduction, revised ed.

This is a revised edition of a work by Olaf Pedersen and Mogens Pihl that was originally published in Danish in 1963, then again in English translation, without revision, in 1974. Its purpose remains to provide an introduction to early physical and astronomical thought.

The book covers a broad period of time and numerous subject areas. The author begins with Babylonian and Egyptian astronomy. He then covers Greece, the Medieval period, and ends with the Renaissance and the beginning of the Scientific Revolution in the work of Nicholas Copernicus. Within this broad scope, the author devotes most of his attention to Greek science with its many topical interests. He covers, for example, astronomy, cosmology, statics, kinematics, optics, chemistry, and the science of matter.

This book focuses on the mathematical tradition within the development of scientific thought. This in fact is one of its major strengths since clear explanations illuminate this often difficult subject. For example, the author provides what must still be considered one of the most instructive descriptions of Greek astronomical theory available. In particular, the author's description of Greek planetary theory indicates both the high level of mathematical thought and the degree of precision available to ancient thinkers. Similarly, the author's treatment of other topics such as optics and statics also focuses mainly on the mathematical elements important to these sciences. The author does, however, give some mention of non-mathematical contributions to the development of these sciences, treating briefly, for example, alchemy, astrology, and technology.

One hesitates to criticize severely an edition that does not claim to be "new" or even the "second" but only "revised." In general, this reviewer welcomes the republication of this often hard to find work, nevertheless he is left with a vague sense of disappointment. Since 1974, and certainly since 1963, the history of science has taken many new directions and has revealed many important aspects of scientific thought. The focus here on the mathematical tradition leaves out much that influenced the development of both physics and astronomy. For example, though the author does occasionally indicate the important influence of Archimedes, he does not discuss the major publication of Archimedes's works in the same year as Copernicus's De Revolutionibus. The year 1543 is, in fact, this author's terminus ad quem, and it is certainly important both for physics and astronomy. But the omission of any significant discussion of this important thinker beyond Greek antiquity, especially after the important work of Marshall Clagett (which the author cites only in the biographical appendix and then only the first volume of 1964), is unfortunate. In general, another disappointing omission is any significant mention of the context of early science. For example, important work on the institutional setting of the work of the Merton School, by Edith Sylla for example, has shown the connection between mathematics, language, and logic in the late medieval period. For antiquity, the author's omission of the significant contributions of G. E. R. Lloyd is similarly disappointing. Given the successes of recent scholarship in placing scientific thought into a wider social and intellectual context, this work is not very satisfying.

Nevertheless, there is much in this work to welcome even a relatively minor revision. It is still one of the best introductions to the mathematical tradition of scientific thought before the sixteenth century. Its biographical appendix still provides invaluable information on important thinkers as well as crucial bibliographical entries listing critical editions of primary sources and major secondary works dealing with their thought. The bibliography, updated though still somewhat limited, provides a good starting point for a more detailed investigation of the topics covered by this work.

George Ouwendijk GRADUATE CENTER OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK