Abstract
The popularity of Classical mythology has gradually increased in contemporary society. The narrative revolving around classical mythology can be seen as unrealistic fancy flights used by the ancient Greeks, but it has been influential and greatly impacted modern science. It is evident that classical myths are not formed from experimental results and thus not actual realities but have successfully shaped contemporary scientific skills and knowledge. Classical mythology, comprising the captivating stories of heroes and gods, not only entertains but also has left a long-lasting impact on understanding and applying scientific knowledge. The information and knowledge from Classical mythology have subtly influenced modern science. It has shaped most scientific discoveries and even formed the basis of the principles used to define scientific concepts. The research paper examines the impact of classical mythology on modern science by exploring the impact on the universe’s origin, weather and natural phenomena, healing and medicine, navigation and astronomy, communication and language, modern hydrology, and analogies and metaphors.
Keywords: Classical mythology, the universe’s origin, modern science, astronomy and navigation, healing and medicine.
Introduction
Since ancient times, humans have attempted to create a sense of the natural world surrounding them. When looking at strange things that happen or natural disasters occur, individuals naturally search for explanations before contemporary science. Finding the explanation before consulting modern science implies that sometimes, back then, people had to search for the explanation on their own without science. Even though Classical mythology can now seem hard to believe and outlandish, it was the basis and what provided the cause of different natural phenomena just before modern science involved day and night subjects, volcanoes, and whirlpools.
Myths such as Classical mythology have been consulted to discuss and describe each aspect of science, from simple concepts such as rain and wind to complex concepts including the Northern Lights and the solar eclipses. Auroras happen when charged particles established along the Earth’s magnetic field connect with the Earth’s upper surface gases (Haarmann, 2015). Classical mythology and its captivating stories of heroes and gods surpass its course of mere entertainment. Classical mythology has an incredible mark on the modern world’s scientific knowledge fabric. From the origins of the natural universe up to the navigation and medicine intricacies, the influence and impact of Classical mythology can be observed and explained in the modern science foundations.
Universe Origins
One of the significant aspects of classical mythology’s impact and influence on contemporary world science is mythology’s contribution to the general understanding of the universe’s origins. Classical mythology, with its rich narratives and tapestry of creation stories and gods, was the foundation of early civilizations and scientific revolution through discussing and explaining how the natural universe started to exist. Even though the narratives were not scientifically accurate, they laid the foundation and sparked curiosity for the cosmology study. The initial cosmologies were founded on creation myths where one or more than one deity created the universe or globe out of bodily fluids and also from the god’s carcass they triumphed. For instance, the chaos myth explained a primordial void where everything emerged. The mentioned concept relating to the formless void influenced the ancient philosophers and astronomers to examine and identify the view of a natural universe that started from nothingness.
Furthermore, the creation narrative of the Olympian and Titan gods led to the succession concept of ruling powers that paralleled the development and discovery of the Big Bang Theory. According to the Big Bang Theory, about 13.7 billion years ago, each aspect of the world was condensed into an infinitesimally small singularity, a point related to infinite heat and density (Rainey, 2021). Abruptly, an explosive expansion emerged, which ballooned the whole universe outwards much faster than light’s speed. The influence of classical mythology on modern science is not limited to scientific concepts since the naming of celestial universe bodies, including constellations and planets, always originates from classical mythology.
The planet Venus, for example, was named after the love and beauty of the Roman goddess, and the constellation Orion is said to have been named after the mighty hunter of classical mythology. Other planets, such as Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, and Mercury, are also named after the beauty and love of the Roman goddess, together with the Hercules constellation. Also, the moons of different planets around the solar system are given names according to mythological figures related to different planets. For example, the moon of Jupiter is named after The priestess Hera in classical mythology. Moreover, some of the asteroids are given names after mythological figures. For Instance, Vesta, asteroid four, was named after the earth’s Roman goddess. Often, comets are named after the individuals who discovered them. However, some of them were named after mythological references.
Weather and Natural Phenomena
Classical mythology contains narratives explaining the origins and the foundation of natural phenomena such as lightning and thunder, the varying seasons, tsunamis, and earthquakes. The narratives were used to entertain the early Greeks and ensure that they effectively made sense of the surrounding environment. Modern-day scientists and researchers have established their views and opinions and developed an in-depth understanding of the natural world phenomena through experimentation and the skill of observation. One example of the influence of Greek mythology on the general understanding and knowledge of natural phenomena revolves around the narrative of Zeus, the king of gods, and his powers of control over lightning and thunder. According to Classical mythology, Zeus was known for throwing thunderbolts to punish people who angered him. The narrative enabled the early Greeks to explain and describe the thunder crashes and the lightening’s bright flashes they heard and observed during heavy storms. Contemporary science, however, has explained that lightning and thunder are caused by electricity discharge in the atmosphere (Karakis, 2018). The concept and phenomena can be understood and studied through meteorology.
The narrative of Poseidon is another example of who the sea god was and the powers he had to cause earthquakes. In classical my classical, Poseidon was said to be responsible for earthquake creation and the shaking process of t. The myth enables the early Greeks to create sense from the destructive and powerful forces they faced. In the modern world, with the advancement and development of seismology, researchers and scientists have experimented and discovered that the major cause of earthquakes is the tectonic forces’ movement beneath the earth’s surface (Konstantinou, 2021). The understanding is essential since it has enabled people to forecast, predict, and effectively prepare for the mitigation measures related to natural disasters. Classical mythology has also successfully offered explanations for the varying seasons through the narrative of Persephone and the time she spent in the underworld. Referring to the myth, the descent of Persephone inside the underworld during winter seasons described the earth’s barrenness. Persephone’s return during the spring explained the plant’s rebirth and return to life. While the early Greeks might have associated these variations with the actions of goddesses and gods, current science has explained that the varying seasons are caused by the axial tilt of the earth and the earth’s orbit around the sun.
Healing and Medicine
Classical mythology’s influence on current science also extends to medicine and healing, where early beliefs and narratives have the understanding and knowledge concerning the human body and the disease’s treatment and prevention remedies. The ancient Greeks believed that sickness was brought about by the imbalance of the body’s humors, which were the bodily fluids responsible for ensuring good health (Miller, 2020). This belief led to the development of the four senses of humor development: black bile, yellow bile, phlegm, and blood. Every humor among the four humors was related to distinct personality traits and physical features. Hippocrates, the Greek physician who is always regarded as the “Father of Medicine, ” was instrumental in shaping treatment and medical practices based on Classical mythology (Greco et al., 2021). Hippocrates emphasized the importance of documenting and observing signs and symptoms and the importance of ethical practice and conduct in medical practice. Hippocrates stressed the importance of pharmaceutical products since they directly affect a person’s health. Hippocrates also created the Hippocratic Oath concept that set future directions and guidelines for medical physicians to follow during their practice (Hu, 2023). The Oath acknowledges the significance of confidentiality and patient care, the principles and rules in the medical practice that are highly utilized and followed in modern medicine.
Classical mythology also influenced the creation process of medical terminology. Most terminologies used in medical practice, like pharmacy and hygiene, are believed to have originated from the early Greek words. The ancient Greeks strongly believed in the effectiveness of plants and herbs in curing and healing. Their understanding and knowledge of herbal medical plants are still being applied and used in the modern generations. Currently, generations still depend on herbal medicine, and even some of the modern antibiotics and drugs are manufactured through plants. Furthermore, the study and research of herbal remedies remain significant in medical research, especially pharmaceutical research studies.
Navigation and Astronomy
Classical mythology also played an important role in developing and establishing navigation and astronomy, influencing how civilizations interpreted and observed celestial bodies in the universe. Classical mythology influenced the celestial body naming whereby the Greek myths gave names to constellations and stars like Pegasus, Ursa Major, and Orion (González-Vaquerizo, 2019). The names offered a way for the early navigators to navigate by and identify the stars, enabling them to pass information and knowledge about the celestial bodies from one generation to the next. Secondly, it influenced the explanation of celestial phenomena, where the classical myths always included narratives that described natural phenomena involving celestial experiences, such as the planets’ changing position, meteor showers, and eclipses. The stories enabled the early astronomers to interpret and understand the happenings, forming the basis of scientific inquiry. Moreover, classical mythology influenced the navigation process in the Mediterranean since explorers and navigators applied the concept and knowledge of constellations and stars mentioned in the myths to guide and direct their routes and journeys during that period.
By effectively observing the sky and night and sticking to the patterns of the sky, the navigators could navigate the Mediterranean and explore the new islands and lands. Also, even though it is not a scientific field, astrology is said to have originated from Classical mythology and played a vital role in early societies. According to ancient individuals, the movements of celestial bodies are the position of the celestial destiny and behavior (Vico, 2020). The belief system affected the decision-making process involving exploration and navigation. Classical mythology affected early navigation and astronomy and provided the groundwork for the scientific understanding and exploration of the universe’s stars, which continued until modern-day science.
The influence of classical mythology on science, especially astronomy, is so effective and diverse that the heavenly bodies and the sky have been awarded mythological names. Other celestial bodies and planets, including the stars making up the whole solar system, are, in particular instances, named after the Roman goddesses and gods and also from the classical myth. The different natural seasons and phenomena in the globe have effectively derived their original names from the Greek heroes and gods. Also, Johann Kepler applied the observational data from Tycho and devised the three laws about planetary motion during the 17th century (Falkner, 2020). The three laws explain the planet’s elliptical orbits around the sun, the relation between the planet’s orbital period, the distance between it and the sun, and the law of equal area. Kepler’s laws are still important in planetary motion research and even influenced the development of celestial mechanics. Galileo Galilei, using a telescope he created himself, conducted a groundbreaking observation in astronomy during the 17th century (Falkner, 2020). Galilei was able to observe the four largest moons of Jupiter and the phases of Venus and discovered sunspots.
Galileo’s groundbreaking observation effectively supported and backed up the heliocentric model and contributed to the Copernican system’s acceptance. Astronomy and physics were also transformed in the 17th century by Sir Isaac Newton’s theories of motion and universal gravitational law. Newton’s law of motion and the law of universal gravitation provided a comprehensive explanation of both celestial and earthly motion. (Falkner, 2020). The laws described the comet’s behavior, the moon’s motion, and the planetary orbits, creating a universal framework for understanding how gravitational forces work. Ancient astronomers, especially those of the Babylonian and Greek traditions, developed the concept of the ecliptic plane and the celestial sphere. The ecliptic refers to the apparent sun’s path across the sky during the year. Contemporary astronomy still applies these concepts as important reference points for celestial objects’ location and their positions’ identification.
Moreover, Zodiac names representing a person’s star sign starting from the date of birth all originate from Classical mythology. For example, cancer the crab refers to a Goddess Hera creature sent to destroy Heracles (Giacomo, 2021)). Aries, the ram represents a golden ram’s picture placed by Zeus among the stars for heroism honor ship (Wang & Bu, 2020). “Leo,” the lion, was linked to Heracles’ laborers, and his initial role involved killing the Nemean Lion.
Communication and Language
Among how classical mythology shaped current science is the myth’s influence on the growth and development of communication and language. Communication paved the way for the exchange of scientific knowledge and concepts. The early Greeks strongly believed that language and communication were vital to preserving cultural traditions, teaching lessons, and sharing narrative narratives. The belief is clear enough and evident in the ancient myths shared and passed down from generation to generation by word of mouth before they were documented. With its extensive grammar and rich vocabulary, the Greek language has had a long-lasting effect on the growth and development of most Western languages.
Most of the scientific terminologies, such as biology, originated from the ancient Greek word bios, which refers to life, and logos, which refers to study examples. Most scientific terms used today were applied in ancient Greece during communication (Shavkatovna, 2021). Additionally, classical mythology offered a common framework for understanding and communication among the early Greek societies, creating a sense of cultural unity. The shared myths allowed for efficient and easy knowledge and ideas to be transmitted, thus facilitating ideas and dating scientific advancements and inventions. In the contemporary world, the impact of Classical mythology on communication and language is still evident since most of the scientific ideas and concepts continue to be formulated from Greek mythology and language.
Modern Hydrology
Although hydrology is a term used in Greek, it was not used in classical literature. However, the term was used sometime later at the time of the Renaissance as hydrology. The classical natural philosophers formed robust knowledge in most of the related scientific fields, providing them with names such as hydraulics, climate meteorology, etc. The terms are currently in use globally. The classical natural philosophers formed the basis for the hydrological idea with the hydrology cycle. Knowledge development was achieved through technological solutions to natural practical challenges and scientific curiosity. While the early descriptions belong to the mythology sphere, the rise and the development of philosophy were followed by the need for effective scientific explanations of the phenomena (Perdomo Marín, 2020). It seems like an initial geophysical challenge that was formulated according to scientific terms was the Nile flood regime explanation.
Nile flooding explanation was then considered as a paradox due to the striking distinctions from the run of the river in ancient Greece that the point where the flooding of the river happens in summer at the time the rainfall volume is low in most parts of the Mediterranean (Koutsoyiannis & Mamassis, 2021). Even though the initial trials were unsuccessful, Aristotle successfully formulated a correct hypothesis. The initial historical, scientific expedition tested the hypothesis of the change to Hellenistic from classical periods. Hellenistic times led to advances and developments in science fields such as hydrology, for example, the measurement and the definition of the flow discharge done by the heron of Alexandria. The hydrology explanation is a concrete confirmation of the view that the cycles of hydrology were effectively understood in early Greece. However, it creates a question about why correct descriptions were not considered and why modern and ancient mythological concepts were considered until the 18th century.
Analogies and Metaphors
Analogies and metaphors drawn from Greek mythology are important and powerful tools researchers and scientists apply while elucidating significant scientific concepts and ideas. The figurative contrasts and comparisons are important in bridging the gap between the intricate scientific concepts and the broader general audience understanding. The application and usage of mythological references enhance vivid imagery and familiarity with explanations and scientific descriptions, making them accessible. The best example is the “Achilles’ heel,” which explains how such metaphors are used. The phrase “Achilles’ heel” is generated from Classical mythology, particularly the narrative of Achilles, who was an instrumental and heroic figure during the Trojan War (Reniers, F. (2022). The myth explains that Achilles was invulnerable but not for his heel; that was the source of his downfall when it was pierced using an arrow.
According to scientific concepts, the phrase is applied metaphorically to illustrate a critical vulnerability or weakness in a theory, process, or system. When researchers refer to something as the “Achilles’ heel” in a specific model or concept, they are discussing a fundamental limitation or flaw that would potentially compromise the system. Through the application of such mythological metaphors, researchers tap into a common cultural reservoir, making them share and communicate intricate principles related to science in a related and experimental way. The metaphors facilitate and contribute to comprehension and add value to the storytelling element of science, increasing the memorability and engagement of a diverse audience.
Conclusion
Classical mythology has directly influenced and has had a profound impact on modern-day science. One of the significant aspects of classical mythology’s impact and influence on contemporary world science is mythology’s contribution to the general understanding of the universe’s origins. Classical mythology, with its rich narratives and tapestry of creation stories and gods, was the foundation of early civilizations and scientific revolution through discussing and explaining how the natural universe started to exist. Moreover, classical mythology comprises stories describing the origin and the causes of natural phenomena such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. The stories were used to entertain ancient people and also to ensure that they make sense of the environment in which they reside. Modern scientists, through experiments, have been able to explain the cause of natural phenomena, a practice that the ancient Greeks started.
Furthermore, the idea relating to the use of herbal medicines for treating diseases in early Greece has also been extended to the modern field of medicine, where herbal treatment and manufacturing of pharmaceutical drugs are still being practiced. Classical mythology has also influenced the naming of celestial bodies such as planets and constellations. The mythology also influenced language and communication, where scientific terminologies such as biology have been used to describe science. Hydrology is an ancient science; scientists also used hydrosol, a current scientific term applied in the current scientific explanations. The application of ancient metaphors such as the Achilles heel has contributed to a common understanding in the scientific field. Lastly, classical mythology’s power to guide and inspire scientific inquiry must be considered. The impact may be connected to a river carving through the human language landscape, forever leading the scientific discovery process.
References
Bassukas, D. (2019). Sedimentological and geochemical evaluation of Vouliagmeni lake sediments, perachora peninsula, Corinth, Greece. SGEM International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference EXPO Proceedings. https://doi.org/10.5593/sgem2019/1.1/s01.062
Falkner, D. E. (2020). An introduction to Greco-Roman mythology. The Patrick Moore Practical Astronomy Series, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-47694-6_1
Giacomo, C. (2021). Astronomy of the Ancient Greeks and Mayas: A Comparison of Scientific Observations and Innovation (Doctoral dissertation, Harvard University). https://dash.harvard.edu/bitstream/handle/1/37367695/Giacomo%2C%20Carmin%20Thesis%20Final%20Revisions%20Completed.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
Wang, D., & Bu, Y. (2020). The influence of secularism from Greek mythology on teaching in engineering culture. DEStech Transactions on Social Science, Education and Human Science, (some). https://doi.org/10.12783/dtssehs/ssme2019/34770
González-Vaquerizo, H. (2019). From Ancient Greek myth to contemporary science in Australia: Cronus as an environmental hypothesis. Journal of Modern Greek Studies (Australia and New Zealand), 101-122. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/222963839.pdf
Reniers, F. (2022). Pandora’s Lab. Queering scientific practice to incorporate storytelling as a comparison method with Ancient Greek mythology (Master’s thesis). https://studenttheses.uu.nl/bitstream/handle/20.500.12932/43074/Thesis_Reniers_Pandora%20s%20Lab.pdf?sequence=1
Greco, G., Mastellari, V., Holland, C., & Pugno, N. M. (2021). Comparing modern and classical perspectives on spider silks and webs. Perspectives on Science, 29(2), 133-156. https://doi.org/10.1162/posc_a_00363
Haarmann, H. (2015). Myth as a source of knowledge in early Western thought. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvc2rmjp
Hu, X. (2023). Historical impact of ancient Greco-Roman mythology on medical terminology. Journal of Social Science Humanities and Literature, 6(5), 118–123. https://doi.org/10.53469/jsshl.2023.06(05).17
Karakis, I. (2018). Neuroscience and Greek mythology. Journal of the History of the Neurosciences, 28(1), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/0964704x.2018.1522049
Konstantinou, A. (2021). Modern Greek “Prehistory”: Ancient Greek myth and Mycenaean civilization in Modern Greek education. Our Mythical Education. The Reception of Classical Myth Worldwide in Formal Education, 1900-2020. https://doi.org/10.31338/uw.9788323546245.pp.49-68
Koutsoyiannis, D., & Mamassis, N. (2021). From mythology to science: The development of scientific hydrological concepts in the Greek Antiquity and its relevance to modern hydrology. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2021-7
Miller, G. (2020). Evolutionary psychology. Science Fiction and Psychology, pp. 45–80. https://doi.org/10.3828/liverpool/9781789620603.003.0001
Perdomo Marín, J. C. (2020). The ancient mythology of modern science: A mythologist looks (seriously) at popular science writing, POR Gregory Schrempp. Revista de Antropología y Sociología: Virajes, 22(2), 296-302. https://doi.org/10.17151/rasv.2020.22.2.14
Rainey, K. T. (2021). The rhetoric of mythology and science in Campbell’s works. Uses of Comparative Mythology, pp. 153–176. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315860602-13
Shavkatovna, M. A. (2021). Allusion is how to render elements of Ancient Greek mythology in the tissue of modern literature. The American Journal of Social Science and Education Innovations, 03(01), 505-514. https://doi.org/10.37547/tajssei/volume03issue01-91
Vico, G. (2020). The new science. Yale University Press.
write