CLCS 38500 Study Guide - Spring 2019, Comprehensive Midterm Notes - Physis, Semen, Medicine
Document Summary
Clcs 385: science, medicine, and magic in the ancient west. Science: organized, systematic knowledge of the material world based on methodical investigation, revealing principles expressible in verifiable, law-like statements that explain phenomena and empower human influence upon them. Difference between orality and literacy not just technological. Orality and literacy differently influence the structure of thought. Prior to mid 5th century bce, mythos = "traditional story, account, explanation, important statement, true statement" and logos = "word, story, potentially fictive statement. " By end of 5th century bce, mythos = "traditional story, false story, unsubstantiated account, unverifiable explanation," and logos = "true, scientific account. " General features of mythos: traditional, anonymous, oral narrative, personal/personified idiom and emphasis. Features of mythic thinking: categorization of experience, use of analogy as basis for organization. No offspring: hierarchical levels of organization (chaos//night//strife//distress , manipulation of categories for explanatory purposes, potential aim that of knowledge (vs. know-how )
