由清华大学教务处与“清华大学新英才教育基金”鼎力支持，清华大学科学史系与国际知名大学合作，开设《自然科学史选讲》（00692621）暑期课程。2026年，特邀英国卡迪夫大学（Cardiff University）历史、考古与宗教学院的劳伦斯·托特林（Laurence Totelin）教授讲授专题《理解古希腊罗马的自然世界》（Understanding the Natural World in Ancient Greece and Rome）。课程语言为英语。
本课程现面向清华大学本科生开放选课，选课时间为6月2日（周二）13:00至6月12日（周五）16:00。欢迎清华同学在选课系统内踊跃报名。
课程基本信息为：
- 上课时间：7月27—31日（周一至周五），上午第二大节 9:50—12:15
- 上课地点：建华/经管新楼LG1-02
- 课程容量：35人
- 主持教师：蒋澈（jiangche@tsinghua.edu.cn）
- 课程助教：张桢美（13039092775@163.com）
本课程可认定为“科学史”辅修专业课程学分和“科学史课程证书”项目学分。
本门课程已开通腾讯会议（会议号：355-3455-0342），方便外校师生线上旁听。因为清华入校仍需报备，而且课堂容量极其有限，本课程也有较多讨论与练习环节，现场旁听暂仅面向受邀的科学史、古典学领域大学/科研院所师生。
❧ 课程介绍
What did people in ancient Greece and Rome consider to be ‘natural’ and ‘alive’? This seemingly simple question is at the centre of this course, delivered over five three-hour sessions. We will discuss how the Greeks, followed by the Romans, centred the notion of physis (nature) in their scientific and philosophical endeavours. This will help us understand how modern disciplines such as physics and physiology have common roots. We will particularly focus on natural objects of enquiry which the Greeks and Roman considered to be alive, following them from the highest form of living (humans), and proceeding down the ‘ladder of nature’ to non-human animals and plants. We will end with stones and other minerals, which some Greeks and Roman at times thought to partake of some form of life.
This course blends together philosophy with social and cultural history. It will draw upon a variety of sources, both literary and material. We will examine both complex theoretical notions and very practical aspects of how the Greeks and Romans interacted with the natural world, such as how they conceived of people living in distant lands; how they displayed ‘exotic’ animals for entertainment; how they transplanted plants over large distances; or how they created fake gems.
The course does not require prior knowledge of Greek and Roman history, but requires a willingness to engage with numerous sources and notions. It will be taught as a mix of traditional lectures (the first hour of each session will be a lecture) and exercises, some carried out individually and some in groups.
❧ 学习目标
- A knowledge of aspects of Greek and Roman natural science
- An ability to use a variety of sources, both literary and material, to analyse aspects of Greek and Roman natural science
- A familiarity with key Greek and Roman natural scientists and their theories
- A familiarity with key modern scholars in the field of Greek and Roman natural science
- An ability to combine philosophical methods of analysis with social and cultural history methods of analysis.
❧ 各讲纲要
1) What is nature (physis)?
This session will introduce the notion of physis; why it was so central to Greek and Roman philosophy and science; and how it was organised hierarchically in what would become known as the ‘ladder of nature’.
2) Humans in Greek and Roman natural science and beyond
This session will introduce how the Greeks and Romans conceived of humans and classified them. We will draw from ancient disciplines such as medicine, physiognomics, and ethnography.
3) Animals in Greek and Roman natural science and beyond
This session will introduce how the Greeks and Romans conceived of non-human animals, classified them, and exploited them. We will draw from ancient disciplines such as natural philosophy, moral philosophy, encyclopaedias, and marvel writing. We will combine these literary sources with material evidence, such as mosaics, frescoes, and osteological evidence.
4) Plants in Greek and Roman natural science and beyond
This session will introduce how the Greeks and Romans conceived of plants, classified them, and exploited them. We will draw from ancient disciplines such as natural philosophy, agricultural writing, encyclopaedias, and pharmacological treatises. We will combine these literary sources with material evidence, such as mosaics, frescoes, and archaeological evidence for gardens.
5) Stones and minerals in Greek and Roman natural science and beyond
This session will introduce how the Greeks and Romans conceived of minerals, classified them, and exploited them. We will draw from ancient disciplines such as natural philosophy, treatises on stones, and alchemical texts. We will combine these literary sources with material evidence, such as archaeological evidence for mining and ancient jewels.