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The Astronomy of Levi Ben Gerson (1288-1344): A Critical Edition of Chapters 1-20 with Translation and Commentary (Softcover Reprint of the Original 1st 1

The Astronomy of Levi ben Gerson (1288–1344)

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"The Astronomy of Levi ben Gerson (1288–1344)" by Bernard R. Goldstein is a mathematics book and learning resource focused on Core Mathematics. Best for teachers, students, and readers looking for stronger mathematical understanding.

It would seem that S. Munk was the first modern scholar to draw attention to the significance of Levi ben Gerson's Astronomy, surely the most original work on astronomy written in Hebrew in the Middle Ages. Munk (1859, p. 500) called for a specialist to undertake a serious study of this work, but there was little response to his plea in the succeeding century. Indeed, this is the first edition of the Hebrew text of any part of Levi's Astronomy but for the table of contents (Renan, 1893, pp. 624-32), and the poems celebrating the invention of the Jacob Staff that appear in chapter 9 (Carlebach, 191Oa, pp. 152-53). The text of Levi's Astronomy is written in a ponderous Hebrew style but the content sparkles with originality. The Ptolemaic tradition is subjected to a profound critique based on the idea that the planetary models must conform both to Levi's own observations as well as those of the ancients, and the claim that astronomical theory must be philosophically sound. The enduring vigor of the Ptolemaic tradition has been characterized by O. Neugebauer as fol lows: "There is no better way to convince oneself of the inner coherence of ancient and medieval astronomy than to place side by side the Almagest, al BaWini's Opus astronomicum and Copernicus's De Revolutionibus. Chapter by chapter, theorem by theorem, table by table, these works run parallel" (1957, pp. 205-6).

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Best For: Scholars and students interested in medieval Hebrew astronomy and historical mathematical texts
Focus: Critical edition, translation, and commentary on the first 20 chapters of Levi ben Gerson's astronomical work
Covers: Hebrew text of Levi ben Gerson's Astronomy, including original content and scholarly analysis
Why It Matters: Provides access to a foundational medieval Hebrew astronomical text that had not been critically edited before, enabling deeper understanding of historical scientific thought

"The Astronomy of Levi ben Gerson (1288–1344)" by Bernard R. Goldstein is a mathematics book and learning resource focused on Core Mathematics. Best for teachers, students, and readers looking for stronger mathematical understanding.

Topic: Core Mathematics

Author: Bernard R. Goldstein

Who this is for:

  • Teachers and classroom instructors
  • Students building subject mastery
  • Readers looking for practical learning support

Why this book matters: It stands out as a practical math resource that helps explain concepts, strengthen problem-solving, and support classroom or independent learning.

It would seem that S. Munk was the first modern scholar to draw attention to the significance of Levi ben Gerson's Astronomy, surely the most original work on astronomy written in Hebrew in the Middle Ages. Munk (1859, p. 500) called for a specialist to undertake a serious study of this work, but there was little response to his plea in the succeeding century. Indeed, this is the first edition of the Hebrew text of any part of Levi's Astronomy but for the table of contents (Renan, 1893, pp. 624-32), and the poems celebrating the invention of the Jacob Staff that appear in chapter 9 (Carlebach, 191Oa, pp. 152-53). The text of Levi's Astronomy is written in a ponderous Hebrew style but the content sparkles with originality. The Ptolemaic tradition is subjected to a profound critique based on the idea that the planetary models must conform both to Levi's own observations as well as those of the ancients, and the claim that astronomical theory must be philosophically sound. The enduring vigor of the Ptolemaic tradition has been characterized by O. Neugebauer as fol lows: "There is no better way to convince oneself of the inner coherence of ancient and medieval astronomy than to place side by side the Almagest, al BaWini's Opus astronomicum and Copernicus's De Revolutionibus. Chapter by chapter, theorem by theorem, table by table, these works run parallel" (1957, pp. 205-6).

AuthorBernard R. Goldstein
PublisherSpringer
Published2011-11-08
ISBN-139781461385714
BindingPaperback
LanguageEnglish
SubjectsMathematics
TopicCore Mathematics
SeriesStudies in the History of Mathematics and Physical Sciences

Format: Paperback

Language: English

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