Greek Science and The Golden Section

Ancient Science and Mathematics

Selections from Julia E. Diggins, String, Straightedge, and Shadow Viking Press, New York , 1965. (Illustrations by Corydon Bell)

Now back in print! Purchase at http://wholespiritpress.com/string.htm

Chapters 8, 9: Thales
Chapters 11, 12: Pythagoras and his Theorem
Chapter 13: Platonic Solids
Chapter 14: The Irrationals
Chapter 15: The Golden Mean
Chapter 16: Archimedes
Chapter 17: Eratosthenes

Selection from Plato's Timaeus

Pythagoras of Samos (ca. 560-ca. 480 BC)

Harmony and Proportion
Plato and Pythagoras on Music; Alberti and Palladio on architectural space.
Pythagoras on Proportion in Music
From the above site,

MathGYM Pythagoreans activity pages.
The Pythagorean Theorem        essay
Activity                                     Prove the theorem graphically.

Homage to Pythagoras

History of Greek Mathematics

Basic Ideas in Greek Mathematics

History of Mathematics Home Page

The Golden Section

The Golden Mean
An extensive site on the Golden Section in architecture and art. Lots of diagrams and links. A good place to start.

The Golden Section in Art and Architecture
Jill Britton’s excellent slide show introduction to the Golden Mean.

Fibonacci Numbers and The Golden Section
One of the best and most extensive sites I’ve found. Ron Knott's Surrey University Site

The Golden Proportion
Examples of the proportion in nature, art, and architecture.

Sacred Geometry Home Page
A more general account of the relationship of geometric form to beauty. The page is very well done and gives a good idea of the Neoplatonic view of form and beauty.

 

Mid_Atlantic Geomancy Sacred Geometry Page
A very nice simple account of some of the most persistent mathematical forms in Art and Nature. Nice Images!!

The Divine Proportion
Another nice short account of the Golden Section and where it shows up in Art. Some nice images.

 

The Mathematics of the Golden Mean
A mathematical account of the Golden Section. Not for those who hate math!

 

Fibonacci Numbers in Nature
Another excellent slide presentation from Jill Bretton’s site.

Fibonacci Number
Golden Ratio
Phyllotaxis
These three pages are from the Wolfram mathworld site.

Infinity and Continuity

Aristotle's account of Zeno's paradoxes

Basic Ideas in Greek Mathematics with section on Zeno

Infinity -- A Platonic Realms Mini-Text

Numbers -- A Platonic Realms Mini-Text

Transfinite Numbers

Infinite Ink: The Continuum Hypothesis by Nancy McGough
Zeno_of_Elea
Basic Ideas in Greek Mathematics

The rise of calculus

Plato and Aristotle

Plato's Theory of Forms

Some Main Points of Aristotle's Thought

Selections from Aristotle's Physics

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