Timeline for Did ancient/medieval non-European cultures have a concept of energy? If so, what are the similarities and differences to the modern concept?
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14 events
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| Nov 29, 2014 at 9:46 | comment | added | fdb | "Young chose (and Thomson adopted) Aristotle's word energy because they perceived at least some connection." - That is a good point. | |
| Nov 29, 2014 at 9:45 | comment | added | fdb | (continuation) To what extent these mediaeval writers actually “improved” on Aristotle and to what extent they merely reiterated his teachings is a central issue in the history of science (unfortunately clouded in the modern discussion by ideological factors). But I think that it is fair to say that the concept of energy/entelechy did not change significantly between the time of Aristotle and early modern times. | |
| Nov 29, 2014 at 9:45 | comment | added | fdb | @MichaelWeiss. Most of the works of Aristotle were translated into Arabic (not directly from Greek, but via for the most part lost Syriac translations). They were commentated by Muslim scholars (al-Farābī, Avicenna, Averroes and many more) and later also by Christian scholars working on the basis of the Arabic tradition (Thomas Aquinas etc.); they formed the bedrock of scientific thinking in the Islamic and Christian Middle Ages. (to be continued) | |
| Nov 29, 2014 at 5:01 | comment | added | Michael Weiss | @fdb This answer is currently mostly about Aristotle. Which Arabic scholars discussed Aristotle's concepts? Did they make changes or elaborate? Did they all agree amongst themselves? What about conservation, convertibility, and variety of forms? | |
| Nov 29, 2014 at 4:56 | comment | added | Michael Weiss | @AlexandreEremenko Yes, the modern energy concept is a product of 19th century Europe, with precursors in the work of Leibniz and others (vis viva). However, I am not asking for a direct ancestor or inspiration for the work of William Thomson et al. Rather, a concept that shares some aspects with the modern concept, and a discussion of the key similarities and differences. Remember, Young chose (and Thomson adopted) Aristotle's word energy because they perceived at least some connection. | |
| Nov 29, 2014 at 4:39 | comment | added | Michael Weiss | @HDE226868 Yes, I am asking for non-European, and of course Aristotle was European. | |
| Nov 29, 2014 at 1:00 | comment | added | HDE 226868♦ | @AlexandreEremenko A lot of research told me exactly the same thing. | |
| Nov 29, 2014 at 0:33 | comment | added | Alexandre Eremenko | There is no doubt that Greeks were Europeans. I read the question as "ancient OR non-European". In any case, my opinion is that the energy concept was born in 19th century in Western Europe. | |
| Nov 28, 2014 at 23:03 | comment | added | HDE 226868♦ | Umm. . . Not to break up the discussion here, but regardless of who is right, the Greeks were Europeans. If you'll notice, I distinctly asked Michael that question up in the comments, and I discussed the idea in an answer of mine. It doesn't matter which person is right here unless someone can prove to me that Aristotle was not European. I'm going to ping @AlexandreEremenko for his opinion here; fdb should get this because it is a comment on his/her answer. | |
| Nov 28, 2014 at 21:22 | comment | added | Alexandre Eremenko | @fgb: I realize this. But I see nothing related to this CONCEPT in "other cultures". Your answer is about WORDS, not concept. It answers the question where the word "energy" comes from, and this is a different question. | |
| Nov 28, 2014 at 16:51 | comment | added | fdb | PS. Please note the question asked explicitly for "something related to the modern energy concept", not for its exact equivalent. | |
| Nov 28, 2014 at 16:46 | comment | added | fdb | @AlexandreEremenko.I do not quite understand what you are saying. Are you denying that Aristotle and his followers had a “concept of energy”? Obviously the modern concept of energy is different from the ancient concept, in the same way that the atoms of modern physics are very different from the atomoi of Democritus and Epicurus, but every historian of science will admit the they stand in the same conceptual tradition. | |
| Nov 28, 2014 at 13:45 | comment | added | Alexandre Eremenko | The fact that some words were borrowed from ancient greek does not show that the concept existed. Almost all modern scientific terminology uses Latin and Greek terms. I see no evidence that the concept of energy existed anywhere before 19th century. | |
| Nov 27, 2014 at 18:35 | history | answered | fdb | CC BY-SA 3.0 |