Ptolemy and the Foundations of Ancient Mathematical Optics : A Source Based Guided Study, Transactions, American Philosophical Society (vol. 89, Part 3) (Transactions of the American Philosophical Society)

Smith was translating Ptolemy's Optics into English when the idea arose to create a general, text-based study of Greek mathematical optics, and so he used the first as a springboard for the second. He argues that though the Greek procedures for studying light, especially reflection and refraction, seem similar to the modern ones, the ancient ray theory is very different in conceptual and methodological foundations and fundamental aims. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)