Anaximander

Over two millennia ago, a Greek philosopher had a number of wondrous insights that paved the way to cosmology, physics, geography, meteorology and biology, setting in motion a new way of seeing the world. Anaximander's legacy includes the revolutionary idea that the earth floats in a void, that the world can be understood in natural rather than supernatural terms, that animals evolved, and that universal laws govern all phenomena. He introduced a new mode of rational thinking with an openness to uncertainty and to the progress of knowledge.In this elegant work, acclaimed physicist Carlo Rovelli brings to light the importance of Anaximander's overlooked legacy to modern science. He examines Anaximander as a scientist interested in shedding light on the deep nature of scientific thinking, which Rovelli locates in his rebellious ability to reimagine the world again and again. Anaximander celebrates the radical lack of certainty that defines the scientific quest for knowledge.

Review: Praise for Anaximander:

"Solid insights into the foundations of science...as usual, Rovelli communicates his ideas with clarity and verve." -Kirkus

"An insightful survey of the scientific contributions of Greek philosopher Anaximander...Rovelli makes the most of the available evidence in building his case that the philosopher's emphasis on natural causes marked a sea change in human thought. This is a masterful overview of a pivotal figure in scientific history." -Publisher's Weekly

"As Rovelli's fans will expect, this book is excellent. It is never less than engaging, and enviably compendious." -The Telegraph (UK)

"Books discovered in drawers by publishers should often have been left there...Anaximander?... Shouldn't he stay in the dusty cabinet too? Absolutely not: Anaximander is a delight and so is this book" -Sunday Times (UK)

"A celebration of the scientific spirit of inquiry and the remarkable achievements of one man more than 2,500 years ago." -Times Literary Supplement (UK)

"A bold and persuasive case that this ancient Greek philosopher scientist was... the founder of critical thinking." -Adam Rutherford, Start the Week

"What [Rovelli] has to say about the Greek philosopher Anaximander from the 6th century BC is fascinating... by the end of the book I was convinced." -Popular Science

Carlo Rovelli is a theoretical physicist who has made significant contributions to the physics of space and time. He has worked in Italy and the US, and is currently directing the quantum gravity research group of the Centre de physique theorique in Marseille, France. His books Seven Brief Lessons on Physics, Helgoland, Reality Is Not What It Seems and The Order of Time are international bestsellers which have been translated into forty-three languages.