This paper examines the presence of the first modern Greek history of science textbook written by Michael K. Stefanides in 1938. Michael Stefanides was the first professor of history of science at the University of Athens. He was appointed in the chair of history of science in the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics in 1924 and he remained in this post until 1939, when the chair of history of science was abolished.
The aforementioned textbook, titled Introduction to the History of Natural Sciences (in Greek: Εισαγωγή εις την ιστορίαν των φυσικών επιστημών), was the collection of his lectures delivered to the students of the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics. The history of Byzantine sciences in the textbook occupy a prominent position near one quarter of the whole content.
His general approach is that of “continuity”, i.e. an attempt to establish an unbreakable link between ancient Greek science, specially the heritage of Aristotle, and the scientific activity in the Byzantine era. He fails to understand the specificity of Byzantine sciences as a convergence of ancient Greek science with Arabic, Persian and Hebrew contributions.
Despite his shortcomings, the work of Michael Stefanides opens the way to consider the medieval period in the Eastern Roman Empire not as Dark Ages according to the widespread attitude but as a period of fruitful discussion and synergy among scientific cultures.
Nike Air Max Plus TN