Many science textbooks contain similar one-or-two-paragraph histories of how modern science miraculously emerged from the dark swamp of ignorance we call the Middle Ages. The main problem with such stories is that they are almost entirely false. Let’s compare the picture painted above with the current understanding of scholars studying the history of the Scientific Revolution. [Full Article on LRC]
Source link: http://archive.mises.org/3021/the-psuedo-history-of-science/
The Psuedo-History of Science
Previous post: Keep Your Eye on the Assumptions
Next post: A Book with Legs



{ 2 comments }
This article points out that there is nothing new under the sun (pun intended?).
I am an atheist and have little desire for control by religious folk through the State. But I am a little queasy at the agenda of many of the most vociferous anti-religious crowd. They seem to have an agenda of their own which still does not comport with my conception of individualism.
The same element appears to exist with reference to science and the romanticized notions of the likes of Copernicus. The build up and hype seems to eminate from the same desire to tear down religion and the quasi-theocracy that existed in times past. But not to permanently tear down the towers – they simply want to replace the existing towers with ones of their own.
I’m an historian of philosophy of science. Your vision of the “exaggerations” and falsity (?) of the Scientific Revolution is almost right but I don’t unterstand what matter with the Catholic Church and his harsh authoritarism then and now (no condom) The Revolutionibus Orbius Celestius by Copernicus was prefaced in 1st edition by a polish bishop just fearing the Roman reaction. Galileo spouse the copernican theory, a part his fallacies you remark, to justify his Saturn’s finding,thus exploding the rude contrast with Roman Church. But this one NEVER act under the “trial and error” methodology of popperian memory you seems to evoc. The Roman Church stand firm on his dogma then and now in a very dangerous fashion for humanity. They act like the american Pope who pretend to export freedom and heaven to the darkest corner of the planet: Urbis et Orbis. But not in my name, this kind of universalism, both from Washington and Rome. Regards.
Comments on this entry are closed.