China

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China
The Period of the Warring States Also called the
time of troubles is the origin of philosophies
that still influence the Chinese and the
world The Major Ones a. Legalists b.
Mohists c. Confucians d. Taoists
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Legalists
Believed that the codification of the law was the
most important step to solve the problems of
China. A written law is a vital step towards a
more civilized society. Mohists Follower of Mo
Ti. Martial artists with a philosophy of
universal love. They pursued science for
military purposes. They believed that knowledge
is learned through the senses. They developed an
experimental and observational type of science
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Logicians

• They believed that Chinas problems could be
  solved by the development of a rational and of
  course logical method of problem solving much
  like the Aristotelian syllogism. Unlike the
  Mohist, the did not think that sensory knowledge
  was true or reliable

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Confucians/NeoConfucians
The Confucians believed that traditions, manners,
and rituals were the paths to peace. Early
Confucians served as official astronomers but
took little interst in othre science.
NeoConfucians attempted to apply Confucian ideas
of harmony to the study of Science
Taoists Follower of Lao Tsu, They believed that
civilization has a corrupting influence that
humanity must return to its natural state.
Happiness and success is dependent on accepting
the natural forces of nature, the Tao. Latter
Taoists became intrigued with magic and alchemy
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Chinese Science
Alchemy the concept of the Yin and Yang, the
world of opposites. The main goal of Chinese
alchemy was the development of a drug that would
give eternal life. Ko Hung one of the earliest
alchemist stressed this and also, their
preference to mercury rather than gold as the
most important element. Astrology They had a
bidirectional astrology. While the heavens
affected the earth events on earth could affect
the heavens.
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Chinese Science (2)
Astronomy the paramount astronomy was Shih Shen.
He figured out the metonic cycle, plus catalogued
over eight hundred stars. He supported the empty
infinite space theory of the universe that echoes
the modern idea that the universe is
infinite Chinese medicine they focused on the
idea of the macrocosm and microcosm. They
developed analogies about the body being like a
political state. The combination of alchemical
pursuit and medicine often proved fatal.
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Chinese Science (3)
Chinese mathematics Heavily influenced by the
Indians. They borrowed the Indian concept of zero
and developed a base ten system. Chinese
inventions Many inventions that we thought
originated in the West are actually creations of
the Chinese. Prior to the modern period, Chinese
practical science was ahead of any elsewhere.
Contrary to popular belief, the Chinese did make
practical use of gunpowder.
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India
While India undoubtedly as a rich scientific
history, it is a very difficult topic to study
because of problems of dating, surviving
literature, culture and origins of ideas. Whether
an idea or concept originated in India or was
adapted by their contact with Chinese and Islamic
sources is hard to ascertain. Also, both
Buddhism and Hinduism in early period promoted
ideas not necessarily productive to the
establishment of science. The ideas of Hinduism
and Buddhism can be said to promote a disdain for
the material aspects of existence.
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India (2)
One achievement that can definitely be traced to
India and ironically has the misnomer Arabic
numbers is the notation system that Europe
adopted from the Islamic world, who had adopted
it from India. Al Khwarizmi the Islamic
mathematican is thought to be the first non-Hindu
scholar to use this notation.