Squaring the Circle and Saving the Phenomena: Reading Science in the Greek Language Classroom

Our students live in a world where scientific achievement and knowledge are profoundly significant, just as they were to the Greeks, and it becomes increasingly important to ensure that the language requirement is as enriching an experience as possible for all students, not only for students in the humanities, but also for those pursuing STEM tracks. Here we explore the significance of science in Greek culture together with the incorporation of Greek scientific texts in the beginning and intermediate Greek language classroom. Science (knowledge) was a seminal component of the Greek intellectual experience, and approachable “scientific” texts can be found in authors identified strictly as “scientists” (e.g., Euclid), as well as in the literary canon (e.g., Homer, Aeschylus). Appended is an extensive, generously annotated appendix of “scientific” texts drawn from a variety of authors and treating the major scientific discipline.