The Greeks

Ancient Greek thinkers didn't invent mathematics, but they were among the first to apply rigorous logic to it. This program illustrates many Greek contributions to geometry and their use of it in astronomy, navigation, and architecture. Exploring both planar and spherical geometry, the film introduces the Greek system of postulates, axioms, and theorems with the help of animated examples. Students will learn about the far-reaching accomplishments of Thales of Miletus, Eratosthenes, Pythagoras, Euclid, Plato, Aristotle, and other philosopher-mathematicians. The precision of Greek navigation and engineering and their link to Egyptian and Babylonian science are discussed. A Discovery Channel Production. (27 minutes