George Sarton: Quotes about science

George Sarton was American historian of science. Explore interesting quotes on science.
George Sarton: 66   quotes 0   likes

“Hellenic science is a victory of rationalism”

George Sarton

Preface.
A History of Science Vol.1 Ancient Science Through the Golden Age of Greece (1952)
Context: Hellenic science is a victory of rationalism, which appears greater, not smaller, when one is made to realize that it had been won in spite of the irrational beliefs of the Greek people; all in all, it was a triumph of reason in the face of unreason. Some knowledge of Greek superstitions is needed not only for a proper appreciation of that triumph but also for the justification of occasional failures, such as the many Platonic aberrations.

Science , Victory

“The history of science should not be an instrument to defend any kind of social or philosophic theory; it should be used only”

George Sarton

Preface.
A History of Science Vol.1 Ancient Science Through the Golden Age of Greece (1952)
Context: The history of science should not be an instrument to defend any kind of social or philosophic theory; it should be used only for its own purpose, to illustrate impartially the working of reason against unreason, the gradual unfolding of truth, in all its forms, whether pleasant or unpleasant, useful of useless, welcome or unwelcome.

History , Science

“Greek science was less an invention than a revival.”

George Sarton

Preface.
A History of Science Vol.1 Ancient Science Through the Golden Age of Greece (1952)
Context: It is childish to assume that science began in Greece; the Greek "miracle" was prepared by millenia of work in Egypt, Mesopotamia and possibly in other regions. Greek science was less an invention than a revival.

Science

“Scientific achievements seem evanescent, because the very progress of science causes their supersedure; yet some of them are of so fundamental a nature that they are immortal in a deeper way.”

George Sarton

Preface.
A History of Science Vol.1 Ancient Science Through the Golden Age of Greece (1952)

Way , Nature , Science

“… science is the most revolutionary force in the world.”

George Sarton

[George Sarton, A guide to the history of science: a first guide for the study of the history of science, with introductory essays on science and tradition, Chronica Botanica Co., 1952, 3]

World , Science

“The chief requisite for the making of a good chicken pie is chicken; no amount of culinary legerdemain can make up for the lack of chicken. In the same way, the chief requisite for the history of science is intimate scientific knowledge; no amount of philosophic legerdemain can make up for its absence.”

George Sarton

"The Teaching of the History of Science" Sci. Monthly 7, 193-211 (1918).

Way , History , Knowledge , Science

“In ancient times there was no public education, except that of the forum, the theater, and the street, and the general degree of illiteracy was very high…. the early men of science were left very much to themselves and such a phrase as "the scientific culture of Alexandria in the third century B. C." does not cover any reality. In a sense, this is still true today; the real pioneers are so far ahead of the crowd (even a very literate crowd) that they remain almost alone…”

George Sarton

Preface.
A History of Science Vol.2 Hellenistic Science and Culture in the Last Three Centuries B.C. (1959)

Men , Education , Reality , Sense

“The whole iconography of ancient science is simply the fruit of wishful thinking.”

George Sarton

Preface.
A History of Science Vol.2 Hellenistic Science and Culture in the Last Three Centuries B.C. (1959)

Thinking , Science

“Men of science have made abundant mistakes of every kind; their knowledge has improved only because of their gradual abandonment of ancient errors, poor approximations, and premature conclusions.”

George Sarton

Preface.
A History of Science Vol.2 Hellenistic Science and Culture in the Last Three Centuries B.C. (1959)

Men , Error , Knowledge , Science