HPS 322: History of Science Study Questions for Midterm, Fall semester 2013: What is the difference between epistêmê (‘science’) and technê (‘art’)? What constitutes the trivium? The quadrivium? What are the key features of the Aristotelian conception of knowledge or of (a) science (scientia, epistêmê)? What are the key features of the Aristotelian conception of nature (physis)? In Plato’s view, is knowledge/science of nature possible? Why or why not. How about from the Aristotelian perspective? How did the Stoic and Epicurean (Hellenistic) schools conceptualize natural philosophy (‘physics’, in their terminology) and it’s relation to the remainder of their systems of thought? Zeno of Elea proposed several (‘reason-based’) objections to the reality of motion and of physical or spatial extension: be able to generally describe his paradoxes discussed by the instructor and their implications and resolutions. Be familiar with what the basic substance of the world was for the members of the Pythagorean cult. In class we discussed (the classical argument for) the incommensurablity of the side and the diagonal of a square. Be familiar with that argument and its implication for Pythagorean metaphysics. The instructor has stressed the difference between positional astronomy and celestial mechanics (or cosmology): be able to talk about the differences of these two kinds of ‘science of the heavens’. In what way(s) did Aristotle modify Eudoxus’ cosmological system? What was his motivation for doing so? What does an indirect argument (reductio ad absurdum) in deductive logic aim to do? Which of the ancients is given credit (by Aristotle) for the discovery/invention of this technique? We’ve talked about Eratosthenes work calculating the circumference of the earth: be able to articulate his method for doing so. Also be able to articulate Aristarchus’ argument that the distance of the sun to the earth is 19 times greater than the distance of the moon to the earth. Be able to give the ancient evidential arguments for the sphericity of the earth. Be familiar with Aristotelian analysis of projectile motion and how it contrasts/resembles the Newtonian (‘classical modern’) analysis. Why is it inaccurate to speak of Aristotle’s ‘laws’ of (terrestrial) mechanics? (OVER)

What was the Delian Problem, and how did Menaechmus solve it? What is the import for ancient science of the ‘Dream of Scipio’ (somnium Scipionis) from Cicero’s De re publica? Who was Aristarchus of Samos and what were his contributions to ancient astronomy? Be able to recapitulate Apollonius’ proof of the mathematical equivalence of the astronomical tool of epicycle and deferent with that of eccentrics. Be able to:

draw a diagram of the celestial sphere including the following elements. Solstices (Winter/Summer) Equinoxes (Vernal/Autumnal) Zenith Azimuth and Altitude (of a celestial object) Right Ascension and Declination (of a celestial object) The Ecliptic, Zodiac The celestial equator, Tropic of Cancer; Tropic of Capricorn draw a diagram of the cosmological system, according to the ancients, starting with the sphere of fixed starts and working your way inwards. Some Study Terms/Concepts: Gnomon Natural Philosophy Homocentric, Geocentric, Eccentric, and Heliocentric Parabola, hyperbola, ellipse (as conic sections) Chord function (and its relation to the trigonometric sine function) Precession of the equinoxes Planets (list all, according to the ancient conception) Retrograde motion Diurnal, Annual celestial motions Sublunary/Supralunary realms Equant points