Science Awakening I

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-13

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2. The Egyptians

   • B. L. Van Der Waerden

   Pages 15-36

3. Number Systems, Digits and the Art of Computing

   • B. L. Van Der Waerden

   Pages 37-61

4. Babylonian Mathematics

   • B. L. Van Der Waerden

   Pages 62-81

5. The Age of Thales and Phytagoras

   • B. L. Van Der Waerden

   Pages 82-104

6. The Golden Age

   • B. L. Van Der Waerden

   Pages 106-147

7. The Century of Plato

   • B. L. Van Der Waerden

   Pages 148-200

8. The Alexandrian Era (330—200 B.C.)

   • B. L. Van Der Waerden

   Pages 201-263

9. The Decay of Greek Mathematics

   • B. L. Van Der Waerden

   Pages 264-291

10. Back Matter

    Pages 293-306

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Soon after the publication of my"Ontwakende W etenschap"the need for an English translation was felt. We were very glad to find a translator fully familiar with the English and Dutch languages and with mathematical terminol· ogy. The publisher, Noordhoff, had the splendid idea to ask H. G. Beyen, professor of archeology, for his help in choosing a nice set of illustrations. It was a difficult task. The illustrations had to be both instructive and attractive, and they had t~ illustrate the history of science as well as the general background of ancient civilization. The publisher encouraged us to find better and still better illustrations, and he ordered photographs from all over the world, with never failing energy and enthusiasm. Mr. Beyen's highly instructive subscripts will help the reader to see the inter· relation between way of living, art, and science of the ancient world. Thanks are due to many correspondents, who have suggested additions and pointed out errors. Sections on Astrolabes and Stereographte Projection and on Archimedes' construction of the heptagon have been added. The sections on Perspective and on the Anaphorai of Hypsicles have been enlarged. In the second English edition I have incorporated an important discovery of P. Huber, which sheds new light upon the role of geometry In Babylonian algebra (see p. 73). The section on Heron's Metrics (see p. 277) was written anew, follOWing a suggestion of E. M. Bruins. Zurich. 1961 B. L.

• Evolution
• Nation
• Transformation
• history of science

Policies and ethics