Language
Country/Area
No result found
The Transformation of Natural Philosophy: How did Ancient Greece move from mythology to science?
The way of thinking in ancient Greece has undergone tremendous changes with the evolution of philosophy and science. In ancient Greek society, mythology was once the main way to explain natural phenomena, and many natural events and human behaviors were believed to be the result of the will of the gods or supernatural forces. However, with the rise of natural philosophy, people began to seek rational and logical explanations, which marked the transition from mythical thinking to scientific thinking.
The ancient Greek philosophers were no longer satisfied with mythical stories, but tried to use the laws of nature to explain the world.
The development of natural philosophy began with pre-Socratic philosophers such as Thales of Miletus, who proposed that "water" is the origin of all things. This mode of thinking showed that humans used elements of nature to explain things for the first time, which laid the foundation for later science.
With the emergence of Aristotle, his systematic thinking and logical reasoning made scientific research no longer a random observation, but based on a solid philosophical foundation. Aristotle's views not only influenced later natural science, but also laid the foundation for the entire Western thought. He emphasized the importance of empirical observation and proposed some preliminary ideas in the scientific method.
Aristotle proposed many theories about physics, astronomy and biology through observation and induction, which dominated Western scientific thought for a long time.
As time went on, the natural philosophy of ancient Greece began to absorb the knowledge of other civilizations. Under the influence of Persia and Egypt, especially in mathematics and astronomy, scientists in ancient Greece began to engage in cross-cultural cooperation and exchanges, further expanding their horizons and research scope.
The development of philosophy also promotes the progress of science. In the thinking model of Socrates and Plato, people are encouraged to explore essence and truth, which is crucial to the formation of scientific method. Plato's Theory of Ideas emphasized the existence of ideal forms, which led to the pursuit of ideal models in later scientific research.
The natural philosophers of ancient Greece not only explored the physical world, but also paid attention to ethics and social structures, which also laid the foundation for the subsequent development of social sciences. Scholars during this period emphasized that the pursuit of knowledge should serve the improvement of human society. This idea still shines with the light of wisdom in modern society today.
