Reconstructing the World

Name: Reconstructing the World
ISBN: 9787100188296

玛格丽特·J.奥斯勒 / 张卜天The Commercial Press · ChinaOct 2021

4.3

Word count: 126K words
Chapters: 39
ISBN: 9787100188296

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Summary

This book surveys the momentous transformation in early modern Europeans' understanding of nature. Osler argues that the worldview embedded in modern science is a relatively recent development in human history, and that the upheavals in early modern European thought shook the foundations of most intellectual activity—art, religion, philosophy, and science. The book examines how early modern thinkers such as Galileo, Descartes, Boyle, and Newton changed their ways of knowing nature, traces the origins of views of nature back to biblical, ancient Greek, and Arabic traditions, and shows how the rediscovery of ancient texts in the Renaissance, printing, the religious revolution, and the age of discovery profoundly shaped changes in human ideas.

Editor's review

Reconstructing the World is the historian of science Margaret J. Osler's penetrating interpretation of the seventeenth-century Scientific Revolution. This work does not simply list the achievements of Copernicus, Galileo, Newton, and others, but probes into a fundamental transformation of worldview. Osler incisively points out that the birth of modern science was not merely an innovation in the system of knowledge but a "reconstruction" of the understanding of the world. She focuses on how the rise of mechanical philosophy replaced the traditional organic worldview, and how mathematics came to occupy a central place in explaining natural phenomena. The value of the book lies in transcending the simple progressive narrative of "Whig history," guiding readers to consider the complex philosophical, religious, and social motives behind scientific change. With her deep scholarly grounding, Osler renders the complex intellectual history of science clear and insightful, suitable both for specialists seeking deeper understanding and for general readers opening a window onto the origins of the modern world. Reading this book, we may become more clearly aware that the "scientific world picture" we take for granted today is in fact the result of a profound intellectual reconstruction in a particular historical period.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers with a strong interest in the history of science and intellectual history
Those who wish to understand the origins and formation of the modern scientific worldview
Students and researchers in philosophy or history
Readers who enjoy intellectually deep and academically rigorous works

Not a good fit for

Those seeking only light entertainment or simple scientific stories
Readers wholly unfamiliar with early modern European history and philosophy who are unwilling to think deeply

Reading tips

Before reading, a preliminary understanding of background knowledge such as the Copernican Revolution and mechanistic philosophy will help you engage with the text more easily.
The book involves many historical and philosophical concepts; patience is advised, and you may use the notes and references for further reading.
The book can be read alongside classics such as Thomas Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific Revolutions to gain a more well-rounded view of the history of science.

About the publisher

The Commercial Press China · Founded in 1897

The Commercial Press is a publisher known for classic works and academic publishing, with titles spanning Eastern philosophy, foreign literature, world history, social culture, and applied psychology. Its list includes classical commentaries such as Zhu Xi's Collected Commentaries on the Analects and Wang Bi's Commentary on the Zhouyi, as well as modern annotated translations like Zhuangzi with Modern Notes and Translation. In foreign literature it offers War and Peace and Crime and Punishment, while in world history it carries Braudel's The Mediterranean and the Mediterranean World in the Age of Philip II. Applied psychology is represented by Irvin D. Yalom's Existential Psychotherapy, and ethical texts include a Greek-Chinese-English edition of the Nicomachean Ethics. Its authors and translators include Zhu Xi, Wang Bi, Yalom, Braudel, and translators such as Huang Zheng, Zhang Yiling, Shen Dongyu, and Tang Jialong, balancing the editing of original texts with academic translation.

版权信息
《科学史译丛》总序
引言
第一章 1500年以前西方的世界观
理解世界：亚里士多德的自然哲学
拯救现象：托勒密天文学
转变物质：古代和中世纪的炼金术
描述世界：博物学
解释人体：希波克拉底和盖伦的医学
第二章变革的气息：寻找一种新的自然哲学
复旧立新：文艺复兴时期的人文主义
革新教会：宗教改革
探索新大陆
变革天界：哥白尼天文学
第三章观察天空：从亚里士多德的宇宙论到自然的均一性
凝望星辰：伽利略和望远镜
解释《圣经》：伽利略和教会
应用天文学：星辰的影响
第四章创造一种新的自然哲学
宇宙的机械化：物质和运动
解释世界：明显的和隐秘的性质
包含上帝：神学维度
第五章移动边界：从混合数学到数学物理学
运动的物体：运动科学
照亮世界：光学和视觉理论
第六章探索物质的属性：炼金术与化学
寻求黄金和健康：文艺复兴时期的转变
解释物质：近代早期的化学
化学的机械化
第七章研究生命：植物、动物和人
模仿亚里士多德：动植物的种类
挑战盖伦：解剖学与生理学
为物质赋予生气：动物和人的灵魂
第八章重新思考宇宙：牛顿论引力与上帝
自然哲学的数学化：万有引力概念
解释现象：物质和吸引问题
对力进行解释：异端与神的行动问题
尾声
阅读建议

FAQ

How does this book differ from common popular works on the history of science?

This book focuses more on the philosophical implications of the scientific revolution and the process of 'reconstructing' the worldview; it is more academic and intellectually deep, and does not primarily narrate anecdotes about scientists' lives or simply describe scientific discoveries.

Can I understand this book without a science background?

Yes. The author focuses on explaining shifts in ideas rather than specific scientific principles. A certain capacity for reading in the humanities and a willingness to think are more important.

What is the main argument of this book?

The core argument is that the scientific revolution of the seventeenth century was essentially a fundamental reconstruction of the world picture—namely, the replacement of the organic and teleological worldview derived from ancient Greece and the Middle Ages with a new mechanistic, mathematized worldview.

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About the author

玛格丽特·J.奥斯勒 Author

Margaret J. Osler is an author about whom limited public information is available; only one work can currently be confirmed, namely Reconstructing the World. The book is classified under social and cultural studies, and judging from its title and category, it most likely deals with major shifts in society and culture, examining how established orders and ideas are reshaped. Because reliable information on the author's life, nationality, and academic background is lacking, no further account of her experience can be given, and readers can only grasp her writing orientation from the work itself. On the available evidence, Osler's writing tends toward a conceptual, holistic approach, attempting to examine transformations at the social and cultural level through the idea of "reconstruction." It is suitable for readers interested in social change and cultural issues. Her style and specific influence await further material before they can be assessed.

张卜天 Author

Zhang Butian is a translator and author long engaged in academic translation and writing on science and the humanities. Public information about him is limited, and details such as his nationality, dates of birth and death, and educational background remain unclear. Judging from the thirteen works included in the database, his work centers on bridging the sciences and the humanities: he has translated classics in the history and philosophy of science, such as The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, The Evolution of Physics, and Euclid's Elements, as well as popular science books such as One Two Three... Infinity, and intellectual and cultural texts such as Ideas and Opinions: An Einstein Reader and The Secret of the Golden Flower. His translations and choices of material combine scholarly rigor with readability, giving him considerable influence in science communication and philosophical reading.