Science and Civilisation in China, Vol. 2, History of Scientific Thought by Joseph Needham (PDF)

Description

The second volume of Dr Joseph Needham’s great work Science and Civilisation in China is devoted to the history of scientific thought. Beginning with ancient times, it describes the Confucian milieu in which arose the organic naturalism of the great Taoist school, the scientific philosophy of the Mohists and Logicians, and the quantitative materialism of the Legalists. Thus we are brought on to the fundamental ideas which dominated scientific thinking in the Chinese middle ages. The author opens his discussion by considering the remote and pictographic origins of words fundamental in scientific discourse, and then sets forth the influential doctrines of the Two Forces and the Five Elements. Subsequently he writes of the important sceptical tradition, the effects of Buddhist thought, and the Neo-Confucian climax of Chinese naturalism. Last comes a discussion of the conception of Laws of Nature in China and the West.

User’s Reviews

Editorial Reviews: Review “[An] astonishing and enduring study…[Needham brings] depth of emotion and technical finesse to his task.” Jonathan Spence, New York Review of Books”Perhaps the greatest single act of historical synthesis and intercultural communication ever attempted by one man.” Laurence Picken, Cambridge University

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐Needham is a superior thinker. His work on the Tao Te Ching is the best I have read in Englidh.

⭐It is very difficult to convey the great scope of this work. It hasbeen described as one of the l00 most significant works of non-fictionof the 20th century. Only Arthur Waley, perhaps, had a greater role inintroducing the values and creative force of classical China to the westthan Joseph Needham. Needham, with a group of devoted scholars in theAcademica Sinica, labored over 40 years to produce this series, whichis without comparison in any european language. Not content withsuperficial descriptions, at any stage, Needham uncovers the seminalsources , at every juncture, to describe the birth and evolutionof this unique source of speculative, always empirical, yet spiritualthought. One of it’s greatest values is as a counter-point to thegrowth of our own tradition, from its Greek sources through therenaissance, and beyond. To give historical and cultural context,Needham uses the seminal Greek sources, throughout, to show thecontrast as well as the originality of Chinese sources. The othersignificant contribution, placing China within the context of worldcultures, is to explain the sources and development of China’s ownempirical traditions and their growth into rigorous disciplines, andtheir own concepts of time and cosmology. Although this second volume does go into the development ofTaoism with considerable depth, it is not a great source for learningthe literary or artistic traditions of China. But as a guide to China’semerging views of the natural world from astronomy to Chemistry,Needham’s work is without equal.

⭐The book arrived in excellent condition. Thank you

Keywords

Free Download Science and Civilisation in China, Vol. 2, History of Scientific Thought in PDF format
Science and Civilisation in China, Vol. 2, History of Scientific Thought PDF Free Download
Download Science and Civilisation in China, Vol. 2, History of Scientific Thought 1991 PDF Free
Science and Civilisation in China, Vol. 2, History of Scientific Thought 1991 PDF Free Download
Download Science and Civilisation in China, Vol. 2, History of Scientific Thought PDF
Free Download Ebook Science and Civilisation in China, Vol. 2, History of Scientific Thought