Ancient Scientific Wisdom Offers Modern Solutions to Misinformation

Ancient scientists can be easy to dismiss. The Greek philosopher Thales of Miletus, often considered the West’s first scientist, believed Earth was suspended on water. Roman encyclopedist Pliny the Elder recommended entrails, chicken brains, and mice cut in two as remedies for snakebites. And when Aristarchus of Samos proposed that Earth orbits the Sun, his Greek contemporaries universally rejected the idea.

Yet despite these seemingly primitive beliefs, thinkers from 2,500 years ago grappled with many of the same information challenges we face today—problems now amplified by social media and artificial intelligence. Their approaches to determining truth from fiction remain remarkably relevant in our current battle against misinformation.

Five key lessons from ancient Greek and Roman scientific methodology offer particularly valuable guidance for navigating today’s complex information landscape.

The foundation of ancient scientific inquiry began with careful observation. Marcus Manilius, writing in the first century CE, explained how early astronomers developed their understanding: “They observed the appearance of the whole night sky and watched every star return to its original place […] by doing this repeatedly, they built up their knowledge.”

This methodical collection of evidence before forming conclusions represents a practice increasingly important in an era of instant opinions and viral content. Greek and Roman scientists consistently warned readers to be suspicious of any claims not substantiated by observable data.

Critical thinking formed the second pillar of ancient scientific practice. The anonymous volcanic text “Aetna” explicitly warned readers about potential misinformation from both published works and personal interactions. Whether the source was intentionally misleading or simply misinformed, the author urged readers to scrutinize claims against their own sensory evidence and rational thinking (ratio).

This ancient emphasis on questioning information—even from seemingly authoritative sources—demonstrates that distrust of unverified claims isn’t a modern phenomenon but rather a time-tested scientific principle.

Perhaps most refreshing to modern readers, ancient scientists routinely acknowledged knowledge gaps. The Roman philosopher Lucretius proposed three different explanations for solar eclipses without declaring one definitively correct, noting it would be “unscientific” to eliminate plausible theories merely to appear more certain.

While this approach might seem imprecise by today’s standards, Lucretius’s intellectual honesty demonstrates that acknowledging uncertainty often indicates greater trustworthiness than projecting absolute confidence—a lesson particularly relevant in today’s information ecosystem where certainty often trumps nuance.

Ancient thinkers also recognized science as culturally embedded rather than existing in isolation. The Hippocratic text “On the Sacred Disease,” which examined epilepsy, demonstrated awareness that different doctors might offer contradictory explanations depending on their perspectives and beliefs about supernatural versus physical causes.

This recognition that scientific information never exists in a cultural vacuum reminds modern readers to consider the source and context of information—a critical skill for evaluating competing claims in politically charged scientific debates.

Finally, ancient scientists insisted that scientific understanding should be accessible to all interested learners. Manilius claimed the only prerequisite for scientific study was “a teachable mind,” while the Aetna author flatly stated, “Science is no place for genius.”

While respecting expertise, these ancient thinkers promoted scientific literacy among general audiences by explaining how knowledge is acquired and verified. This democratization of scientific understanding, enabling citizens to evaluate claims for themselves, remains vital in today’s information environment.

These principles—starting with observation, thinking critically, acknowledging uncertainty, recognizing cultural context, and making science accessible—helped build the foundations of modern scientific knowledge. Though developed millennia ago, they remain powerful tools for navigating a world where determining truth remains just as challenging as it was for the ancients.