MODELS & PRECISION (Sources and Studies in the History and Philosophy of Classical Science)

Booknews

Defends Ptolemy, the second-century astronomer, from the bum rap he's gotten over the past several centuries: that he fiddled with his record of observations to make his calculations come out right. Based on the solar and lunar observations in his Almagest, concludes that his observations were as precise as anyone else's at the time, and were consistent with naked-eye observations. Also argues that he must have had more observations to draw on than he reported, for the parameters he derived are more accurate than can be accounted for by just his own. Apparently begins a series, but no series information is provided. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)