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Planetary Motions: A Historical Perspective Greenwood Guides to Great Ideas in Science
by Norriss S. Hetherington
Editorial Reviews
Review
Hetherington covers the history of attempts to understand planetary motion, starting with the Babylonians, continuing through Plato and Ptolemy, and ending with Copernicus and Newton. He has written extensively on this subject and is the director of the Institute for the History of Astronomy at Berkeley. His expertise is evident in his clear, insightful overview of astronomy and the personalities of the people who pursued it, but what is unique is the ease with which he connects science to the cultures in which it was practiced. The index includes Bach, Julius Caesar, Dionysius, John Donne, Frederick II, Goethe, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, Mohammed, Moliere (Moliere) , Mozart, Voltaire, and even "God." The writing is authoritative but also accessible and humorous: the conflict between Descartes' and Newton's understanding of gravity is summarized by the statement that "In Paris everything was explained by a pressure that nobody understood; in London everything was explained by an attraction that nobody understood either." A thorough, engaging study. Highly recommended. General readers; lower- and upper-division undergraduates
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by Norriss S. Hetherington
Editorial Reviews
Review
Hetherington covers the history of attempts to understand planetary motion, starting with the Babylonians, continuing through Plato and Ptolemy, and ending with Copernicus and Newton. He has written extensively on this subject and is the director of the Institute for the History of Astronomy at Berkeley. His expertise is evident in his clear, insightful overview of astronomy and the personalities of the people who pursued it, but what is unique is the ease with which he connects science to the cultures in which it was practiced. The index includes Bach, Julius Caesar, Dionysius, John Donne, Frederick II, Goethe, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, Mohammed, Moliere (Moliere) , Mozart, Voltaire, and even "God." The writing is authoritative but also accessible and humorous: the conflict between Descartes' and Newton's understanding of gravity is summarized by the statement that "In Paris everything was explained by a pressure that nobody understood; in London everything was explained by an attraction that nobody understood either." A thorough, engaging study. Highly recommended. General readers; lower- and upper-division undergraduates
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Product Details
- Hardcover: 248 pages
- Publisher: Greenwood Press (July 30, 2006)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 031333241X
- ISBN-13: 978-0313332418
- Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.1 x 0.7 inches
- Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
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