Ptolemy's Philosophy
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 23789723 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Jacqueline Feke (0009-0003-7874-1853, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2018 |
| Publication date | 2018-10-16 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | BOOK |
| Venue | Ptolemy's Philosophy (SOURCE_BOOK) |
| Publisher | Princeton University Press (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.23943/princeton/9780691179582.001.0001 |
| OpenAlex | W2946576386 |
| ISBN | 9780691179582 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
The Greco-Roman mathematician Claudius Ptolemy is one of the most significant figures in the history of science. He is remembered today for his astronomy, but his philosophy is almost entirely lost to history. This book reconstructs Ptolemy's general philosophical system—including his metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics—and to explore its relationship to astronomy, harmonics, element theory, astrology, cosmology, psychology, and theology. The book uncovers references to a complex and sophisticated philosophical agenda scattered among Ptolemy's technical studies in the physical and mathematical sciences. It shows how he developed a philosophy that was radical and even subversive, appropriating ideas and turning them against the very philosophers from whom he drew influence. The book reveals how Ptolemy's unique system is at once a critique of prevailing philosophical trends and a conception of the world in which mathematics reigns supreme. The book demonstrates how Ptolemy situated mathematics at the very foundation of all philosophy—theoretical and practical—and advanced the mathematical way of life as the true path to human perfection.
Epistemology · Metaphysics · Ptolemy's table of chords · Classical Philosophy and Thought · Classics · Historical Astronomy and Related Studies · History · History of Science and Medicine · Philosophy
| Citations per year | 0.17 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2020 - 2020 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |