The Contributed by Claudio Ptolomeo To the most important science and society were related to the knowledge of astronomy and the universe.
Claudius Ptolemy was born in Egypt around AD 85 and died in Alexandria in about AD 165 (the date is not precisely known). To date, it has not been possible to obtain precise information about its birth or death.
However, it is known that he was an astronomer, geographer, mathematician and philosopher who synthesized 500 years of Greek thought. He proposed the geocentric system as the basis of celestial mechanics. His ideas and theories in the field of geography and astronomy had important relevance until the sixteenth century.
The exposition of the"Ptolemaic"system meant for him, his most important theory. His work is heavily influenced by Hippocrate of Nicea , An astronomer, geographer and Greek mathematician.
For Bellver (2001) the great merit of Ptolemy was to synthesize the universe of Greek knowledge in the most representative and complete work of antiquity. It can be said that he was the last and most important scientist of classical antiquity.
His works are known as The Astronomical thought of the West. Their astronomical texts are known by the name of"Almagesto"or"El gran trata", although Ptolemy himself had called them"Mathematical Syntax"(Dorce, 2006).
He also attempted to establish the coordinates of the planet's major sites in terms of latitude and longitude, but then proved that his maps were very inaccurate. You may also want to see the 10 contributions of Nicholas Copernicus to science and society .
6 fundamental contributions of Ptolemy to science
1 - Astronomy
Ptolemy claims that the planets coexist in circular orbits,"epicycles", which prowl central points and, in turn, remain eccentric around the Earth. Under this assumption all celestial bodies describe perfectly circular orbits.
He dared to project measures of the Sun, the Moon and a set of celestial bodies that made a total of 1,028 stars.
His main work in the field of astronomy is called"Almagesto", book that was inspired by the study of Hipparchus of Nicaea. In the work reference is made to the fact that the Earth constitutes the center of the universe and for that reason it remains motionless. Around it revolve the Sun, the Moon and the stars.
2 - Astrology
In ancient times, it was common to think that the personality, virtues or misfortunes of people were determined by the race, country and education of the person. Or also by the position of the sun or moon at the time of birth.
Ptolemy made his famous treatise on astrology "Tetrabiblos" (Four Books), an extensive work on the main precepts and principles of astrology and horoscopes.
Part of his astrological work has also to do with the medical part, in his theories manifested that the ailments or diseases that people suffered was due to the influence of the sun, moon, stars and planets on the particular astrological sign.
Each celestial body (sun, moon, star or planet) had influence in certain parts of the human body.
3- Optics
It is a forerunner of research on Law of refraction . In his investigations he attempted - empirically - to separate the angles formed by the incident rays with respect to the norm that separated both media.
One of his best known works has the name of"Optics"which, in five volumes outlines his theory on mirrors and refraction of light. Aspects recurring throughout his astronomical work. The contributions of Ptolemy were of vital importance in the worldview of the Middle Ages (Biographies and Lives, 2017).
4- Geography
Another of his most influential works is called "Geography". Completed work in view of which Marino of Tire I can not finish it.
"It's a compendium of mathematical techniques for accurate mapping. It compiles different systems of projection and collection of coordinates of the main places of the world of which it was known"(Garcia, 2003).
Ptolemy took the position that the earth had a shape of circumference - before Ptolemy and Posidonius had said the same thing. Although his maps were the precedent to be generating more and more precise maps, Ptolemy exaggerated the extension of Asia and Europe.
Paradoxically years later and based on these maps, Christopher Columbus , Decided to embark on his trip to India from east to west believing that Europe and Asia was the only territory.
Undoubtedly, Ptolemy made great contributions to geography, was one of the precursors in making maps with coordinates, length and latitude. Although they had great errors, they set a precedent for future developments in cartography and earth science.
Speaking of his most notable contributions in this field, it can be said that he served as a perfector of the methods of map projection and the presentation - for the first time - of the terms"parallel"and"meridian"to draw the imaginary lines of length And latitude.
5- Music
In the field of music, Ptolemy wrote a treatise on musical theory called"Harmonics". He argued that mathematics influenced both musical systems and celestial bodies (Wikepedia, 2017).
For the Egyptian astronomer, some musical notes came directly from specific planets. It is known that he came to think that the distances between the planets and their movements could make vary the tones of instruments and music in general.
6- Sunglasses
The sundials were also objects of study for Ptolemy. In fact today we know the artifact called"The zócalo de Ptolemy"in honor of him.
This is an instrument used to measure the height of the sun through a wooden quadrant and a gnomon, which produces a shadow when the sun illuminates provides a direct measure of the height of the sun. Its creators baptized it with the name of zócalo but clarifying that it was inspired in Ptolemy.
Ptolemy was the last great representative of Greek astronomy and although many of his contributions are discounted today, they served as support for further research and the creation of science.
His life was that of a passionate of knowledge that synthesized 500 years of Greek thought and set a precedent as one of the most remarkable minds of antiquity.
References
- García, J. (2003) The Iberian Peninsula in the Geography of Claudio Ptolomeo. University of the Basque Country. Cultural Editorial Fund.
- Dorce, C. (2006) Ptolemy: the astronomer of the circles. Spain. Nivoa Books and Editions.
- Bellver, J. (2001) Critics of Ptolemy in the s. XII. Mexico City.
- Biographies and Lives (2017) Claudio Ptolomeo. Recovered from: biografiasyvidas.com.
- Collaborators Wikipedia (2017) Claudio Ptolomeo. Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia.