Pathways into the Study of Ancient Sciences

These essays offer a sampling of the incredible wealth of knowledge and expertise of David E. Pingree (1933-2005), Brown Univ. Professor of the History of Math. and Classics. His contributions to the history of science are immeasurable. Pingree defined science as “a systematic explanation of perceived or imaginary phenomena”: “This broad view of science includes astronomy, mathematics, and other sciences with which we are familiar today as well as those subjects deemed nonscientific by today’s standards, such as astrology and magic . . . .”[Pingree] repeatedly demonstrated that not only were each of these subjects worthy of study in their own right, but that in the Ancient and Medieval periods these fields were closely interconnected. Illus.