Carlo Rovelli

The Role of Anaximander in the Birth of Science

The historical role of the legacy of Anaximander, the VI century BCE thinker that first understood that Earth floats free in the middle of the sky, is still commonly underappreciated. To fully appreciate it, multiple lenses are needed at the same time: scientific and historical. I briefly review what we reasonably know of his multiple scientific achievements, and I emphasize their gigantic importance for the development of western scientific thinking.

Carlo Rovelli is a theoretical physicist known for his works on quantum gravity. He has also worked on the history and the philosophy of science. He is Professor of Physics at the University of Aix-Marseille in France, Adjunct Professor of Philosophy at the University of Western Ontario, and Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Perimeter Institute in Canada. He is a member of the International Academy for the Philosophy of Science, and of the Institut Universitaire de France. Among his recognitions are the Xanthopolous Award, the Laurea Honoris Causa of the University of Saint Martin in Buenos Aires, and an honorary professorship at the Normal University of Beijing. Rovelli is known to the large public for books such as Seven Brief Lessons on Physics, and The Order of Time, translated in more than 40 languages. On Anaximander, he has written a book with the title The first scientist, Anaximander and his legacy. Foreign Policy magazine has listed Rovelli among the 100 most influential thinkers.

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IPT Talk Series 2021-22

Carlo Rovelli

The Role of Anaximander in the Birth of Science

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Anaximander and the Birth of Science

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