vbid/9781493913602

Description

This book provides a chronological introduction to the sciences of astronomy and cosmology based on the reading and analysis of significant selections from classic texts, such as Ptolemy�s The Almagest, Kepler�s Epitome of Copernican Astronomy, Shapley�s Galaxies and Lema�tre�s The Primeval Atom. Each chapter begins with a short introduction followed by a reading selection. Carefully crafted study questions draw out key points in the text and focus the reader�s attention on the author�s methods, analysis, and conclusions. Numerical and observational exercises at the end of each chapter test the reader�s ability to understand and apply key concepts from the text. The Heavens and the Earth is the first of four volumes in A Student�s Guide Through the Great Physics Texts. This book grew out of a four-semester undergraduate physics curriculum designed to encourage a critical and circumspect approach to natural science, while at the same time preparing students for advanced coursework in physics. This book is particularly suitable as a college-level textbook for students of the natural sciences, history or philosophy. It also serves as a textbook for advanced high-school students, or as a thematically-organized source-book for scholars and motivated lay-readers. In studying the classic scientific texts included herein, the reader will be drawn toward a lifetime of contemplation.Typham this is the title: A Student’s Guide Through the Great Physics Texts Volume I: The Heavens and The Earth