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  • © 2018

When the Earth Was Flat

Studies in Ancient Greek and Chinese Cosmology

Authors:

  • Discusses ancient theories of a flat Earth with surprising new insights and interpretations
  • Contrasts early Greek philosophy with ancient Chinese concepts
  • Numerous images visualize ancient cosmology

Part of the book series: Historical & Cultural Astronomy (HCA)

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Table of contents (16 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xxxi
  2. Introduction

    • Dirk L. Couprie
    Pages 1-4
  3. Preliminaries on Sources and Methodology

    • Dirk L. Couprie
    Pages 5-15
  4. Ancient Greece

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 17-17
    2. Anaximander’s Images

      • Dirk L. Couprie
      Pages 47-61
    3. Anaximander’s Phenomenological Cosmology

      • Dirk L. Couprie
      Pages 63-73
    4. Anaximander’s Numbers

      • Dirk L. Couprie
      Pages 75-98
    5. Anaximenes’ Cosmology

      • Dirk L. Couprie
      Pages 99-130
    6. Xenophanes’ Cosmology

      • Dirk L. Couprie
      Pages 131-166
    7. Anaxagoras on the Milky Way and Lunar Eclipses

      • Dirk L. Couprie
      Pages 167-194
    8. Anaxagoras on the Light and Phases of the Moon

      • Dirk L. Couprie
      Pages 195-219
  5. Ancient China

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 261-261
    2. An Ancient Chinese Cosmology: Main Features

      • Dirk L. Couprie
      Pages 263-292
  6. Back Matter

    Pages 343-361

About this book

This book is a sequel to Heaven and Earth in Ancient Greek Cosmology (Springer 2011). With the help of many pictures, the reader is introduced into the way of thinking of ancient believers in a flat earth. The first part offers new interpretations of several Presocratic cosmologists and a critical discussion of Aristotle’s proofs that the earth is spherical. The second part explains and discusses the ancient Chinese system called gai tian. The last chapter shows that, inadvertently, ancient arguments and ideas return in the curious modern flat earth cosmologies.

Reviews

“Highly specialized and learned exposition much is made of the textual, conceptual, and … relevant literature. The author is also to be congratulated on his clarity and thoroughness.” (David W. Hughes, The Observatory, Vol. 139 (1270), June, 2019)

Authors and Affiliations

  • Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Philosophy and Arts, University of West Bohemia, Pilsen, Czech Republic

    Dirk L. Couprie

About the author

Dirk L. Couprie is a retired scholar (University of Leiden). Doctoral dissertation at University of Amsterdam with a thesis on Anaximander.
Current position: leader of a project on Presocratic Philosophy at the philosophical department of the faculty of philosophy and arts, University of West Bohemia in Pilsen.
Areas of work: Presocratic philosophy, more especially Presocratic cosmology; also ancient cosmology in a broader perspective (ancient Egyptian, ancient Jewish, ancient Chinese).

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 149.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access