The history of science and technology is the foundation of all history, and mankind has benefited from the continuous development of science from ancient times to the present day.
The history of science and technology is also a cultural history. The birth of literature and art is inseparable from the political and social background, science and technology empowered the invention of radio stations, cameras, printing presses, and computers, as well as the emergence of modern film and television.
Follow alongJiang Zhenhuanwritten"General Course on the History of Western Science and Technology".In the process of understanding the development of Western science and technology, we also see the promotion of culture and economy and the impact of science and technology on society.
The natural philosophy of ancient Greece is the source of modern natural science and philosophy in the West. The ancient Greeks were good at speculation, and were good at exploring the essence and laws of the existence of nature from the existence of nature itself.
Among them, Aristotle can be called the master of ancient Greek knowledge. He created "formal logic" to classify knowledge, and "four causes theory" to explain the existence of things, which had a profound impact on the extension of various disciplines in later generations.
The ancient Romans emphasized practice and applied the scientific achievements of Greece to the construction of society. The excellence in the design and construction of architectural, water conservancy and transportation projects is still breathtaking and exemplary in various fields.
Universities were established in Europe in the Middle Ages, and education began to spread widely. The "agricultural colonization" movement promoted the development of agriculture, which led to a boom in commerce and an increase in population.
During the same period, the rise of the Arab world, Arab mathematics, geometric optics, astronomy, medicine, and alchemy were introduced to Europe, so that the cultural exchanges between the East and the West reached an unprecedented scale.
With the Crusades, the great discoveries of great maritime geography and the Renaissance, the primitive accumulation of European capitalism was accelerated, people's horizons were broadened, people's minds were unprecedentedly emancipated, and theocentricity returned to humanism, which promoted the rise of modern science.
The Industrial Revolution that broke out in Britain in the 18th century made Britain the most developed industrial power in the world. In the 19th century, European and American countries also completed the industrial revolution in their own countries, making the wave of industrialization sweep the world.
At the end of the 19th century, modern science and mathematics, physics, chemistry, astronomy, geoscience, and biology were all formed, and science education became an important part of university education, cultivating a large number of talents.
With the rise of the electric power technology revolution, the rapid development of heavy chemical industries such as steel, chemical industry, and petroleum, and the establishment of mass production methods have built a solid technical foundation for the industrial society, and super-large monopoly enterprises have emerged, and international competition has intensified.
In the 20th century, the modern scientific system was formed, and the theory of relativity, quantum mechanics, atomic and nuclear structures, enabled human beings to explore the microscopic world and the universe more deeply.
At the same time, the achievements brought about by the revolution in electric power technology in the 19th century led to the electrification of social production and life in the 20th century. In the 60 years of the 20th century, the birth of microelectronics technology and electronic computers brought automation to people's production, life and management.
After the 70s, the industrial society moved towards the information society. This has led to the rapid development of the Internet, aviation, electronics, medicine, and military technology.
Looking back, the development of science and technology has brought prosperity and convenience to human social life, but at the same time, it has also consumed the earth's resources and sacrificed the environment. How to maintain sustainable development has become a topic of common concern for the international community.
A general education course, a journey through the history of Western science and technology. Practical and inspiring.