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ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS:
Please answer these questions in paragraph form using my included article, and outside sources. Please paraphrase instead of quotation marks. Please make it about 700 words long.
a) What were the possible causes of the decline of science and natural philosophy at the end of the Greco-Roman era?
b) Describe the process of decline of science and natural philosophy from the beginning of the Roman period to the fall of the Roman Empire.
c) How was this decline in the western and eastern divisions of the Roman Empire?
HOW TO WORK ON THIS ASSIGNMENT (EXAMPLE ESSAY / DRAFT)
Science and natural philosophy flourished during the Greco-Roman era, but their decline at the end of this period has been the subject of debate among scholars. The causes of this decline are complex, and include factors such as political instability, economic decline, religious dogmatism, and intellectual exhaustion.
During the Roman period, there was a gradual decline in scientific activity due to the shift in focus from expansion to consolidation and stability. The patronage of science declined as the Roman economy became more stagnant and the state became more authoritarian. Political instability in the third century AD also contributed to the decline, as many intellectuals were forced to flee or were killed during frequent wars and upheavals.
The Christianization of the Roman Empire also had a significant impact on the decline of science and natural philosophy. Early Christian leaders expressed disdain for natural philosophy, which they saw as a pagan practice. This anti-intellectualism was reinforced by the fact that many of the leading natural philosophers of the time were pagans or non-Christians, making their ideas suspect in the eyes of the Christian authorities.
The Byzantine Empire, the eastern division of the Roman Empire, was less affected by political instability and economic decline, and retained much of the Hellenistic intellectual tradition. The Byzantine scholars were able to preserve and transmit many of the scientific works of ancient Greece and made important contributions to fields such as astronomy, mathematics, and medicine. However, the Byzantine Empire also suffered from religious dogmatism and intellectual exhaustion.
The decline of science and natural philosophy was not uniform across the western division of the Roman Empire. The decline was most pronounced in the western provinces, where political instability and economic decline were the most severe. In contrast, the eastern provinces, especially Egypt and Syria, retained some of their scientific traditions and continued to produce important works in fields such as astronomy and mathematics.
Despite the decline, the scientific achievements of the Greco-Roman era had a lasting impact on Western civilization, and many of the scientific ideas and concepts developed during this period continue to influence our thinking today. The decline of science and natural philosophy at the end of the Greco-Roman era was a complex process influenced by a variety of factors, including political instability, economic decline, religious dogmatism, and intellectual exhaustion.
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