The Shorter Science and Civilisation in China: Volume 2

Colin A. Ronan (Author)

9780521315364, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 20 June 1985

472 pages, 70 b/w illus. 7 maps 23 tables
22.8 x 15.2 x 2.6 cm, 0.677 kg

In the second volume of his abridgement of Joseph Needham's original text, Colin Ronan looks in detail at the early Chinese contributions to various sciences. The first section deals with mathematics, and it is shown that the Chinese works were comparable with the pre-Renaissance achievements of the old world. This account is written with the non-mathematician in mind. The text is next concerned with the sciences of astronomy and meteorology, followed by the Earth sciences: geography, cartography, geology, seismology and mineralogy. Volume 2 closes with a description of some aspects of Chinese physics, including their predilection for the wave theory as opposed to particles, metrology, statics, hydrostatics, heat, light and sound.

List of illustrations
List of tables
Preface
1. Mathematics
2. The sciences of the heavens: (i) astronomy
3. The sciences of the heavens: (ii) meteorology
4. The sciences of the earth: (i) geography and map-making
5. The sciences of the earth: (ii) geology and related sciences
6. Physics
Table of Chinese dynastics
Bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: History of science [PDX]