Eratosthenes in the Hellenistic Period (500 B.C.E - 300 C.E.)
Eratosthenes was a mathematician, geographer, historian, and astronomer from ancient Greece. He lived during the Hellenistic Period in Greece. During the Hellenistic Period (500 B.C.E to 300 C.E.) many cultures were mixed together to create a syncretistic culture. Although many ideas in this new culture were Greek, other cultures added new perspectives on religion, philosophy, science, math, art, history, and literature. Because of all the new ideas floating around there were many new developments in these fields during the Hellenistic period, and Eratosthenes played a role in the changes in math, science, geography, and history. He is most remembered for his discovery of the circumference of the earth and his sieve of prime numbers, and he is a success as these discoveries are still referred to today.
Eratosthenes' Thinking
Eratosthenes worked in many different subject areas and found ways to use what he already knew or what he found out to find new information in math or science. He had to think creatively to find a use for angles in geometry or use his knowledge of factors to find prime numbers. Working in many different fields meant that he had a creative mind which was always open to new information and was able to process both literature and numbers, history and science. He showed his creativity when he found the earth's circumference, since he assumed the earth was round and most people didn't know this at the time.
Eratosthenes used applied science in his work by taking knowledge and using it to solve problems. His work was based on observation, but the observation was then applied to different situations which he used it in. In his work, both inductive and deductive reason were necessary. He used deductive reasoning in much of his work with prime numbers and math, and inductive reasoning when studying astronomy and geography. Eratosthenes' work was mostly quantitative; in mathematics, geography, and astronomy he focused on measuring distances and working with numbers. His work was overall math related, but he wrote some history as well.
Eratosthenes had many written works, but most of them are now lost and are known about through references in other author's works. He wrote Platonics about music, On means about geometry, On measurement of the earth, and the poem Hermes and other works about theater at the time.
Eratosthenes used applied science in his work by taking knowledge and using it to solve problems. His work was based on observation, but the observation was then applied to different situations which he used it in. In his work, both inductive and deductive reason were necessary. He used deductive reasoning in much of his work with prime numbers and math, and inductive reasoning when studying astronomy and geography. Eratosthenes' work was mostly quantitative; in mathematics, geography, and astronomy he focused on measuring distances and working with numbers. His work was overall math related, but he wrote some history as well.
Eratosthenes had many written works, but most of them are now lost and are known about through references in other author's works. He wrote Platonics about music, On means about geometry, On measurement of the earth, and the poem Hermes and other works about theater at the time.
