Frankly, those two aren't my favorite additions of the Expansion Mod. No so much because of the effects, but rather because I think both are buildings and no advances and furthermore, Plato's academy was very unique and seems to me being worth more than a library.
Anyhow, my suggestion would be to replace these advances with something else.
My idea would be to replace Academy with Writing System and Library with Alphabet.
What do you think?

Hmm... well the Academy was a stretch. Library was based off of the great Library of Alexander and the general system of libraries setup by the Greeks.

Writing System is a good start to replace Academy...but it sounds too much like Literacy - plus I think it would be an arts card. We need a word that describes or exemplifies the beginnings of science in the ancient world. Perhaps Scientific Theory? hmm... Any more suggestions?

I don't think I'm going to change Library, other than to possibly rename it. I want it to stand for the pinnacle of ancient scientific thought and organization. To me the Library of Alexander was that pinnacle. Its greatness was not that it was a building; but that a culture valued learning so much they felt the need to gather all the great works together for academics and posterity. It’s that sort of “Advancement” I’m trying to convey. If we can come up with a better name I'm game.

I'd rule Scientific Theory as a name out, it sounds too much 19th century
For my taste Writing doesn't sound too much like Literacy, but if you prefer something else, what about "Symbols" or "Glyphs"?
Having it as Science AND Art card would unbalance the era advancement, right? What about or "Record Keeping" then? Just get rid of the name "Academy", everything's better IMHO.



Sorry, no idea then how to name it, it seems fine in that case

[/quote]

How about "Schools of Thought" instead of Academy?

I see that we're on a different track here, nevermind. To me, your suggestions seem to be more sophisticated concepts of science than the low value of the CC would suggest. "Academy" (founded by Plato in the 4th century BC) and "Schools of Thought" (maybe starting with the Pythagoreans in late 7th century BC) are playing in the same league like "Philosophy" and resemble it too much IMHO(like Writing and Literacy do for you).

If Academy is to be the beginning of science, and you need a new name for it, how about calling it "Experimentation" or some spin-off thereof. After all, the science started by observing and thinking about the physical world around us, didn't it? Or perhaps "Measurement"? Or "The Elements". Or perhaps we should have a "Basic Math" advance, renaming the current "Mathematics" to "Advanced Math" or something.

How about "Written Record", instead of Library (if it needs to be changed, that is)?

Maybe Scientific Experimentaion. Or System of Measurement... I like that one. The Elements... not sure that will work.

I like like Library just fine I think. "Concetrations of Literacy" Just doens't sound as cool.

Admittedly a stretch (The Elements), but it was an early interpretation of the world around us, and thus sort of a vanguard of science.


Agreed. "Heaps of Knowledge". LOL.

Perhaps "Physics" would be a good choice? In its earliest use, it simply meant the study of physical or natural science. Or use Latin Physica or Geek Physika if you want to make the distinction from modern Physics more apparent.

-Andrew
I'm not sure we're civilized yet.

I don't think players would make the distintion, and the Physika would confuse people (remember I'm makeing this for casual gamers as well). Still.. its not a bad idea.

How about just simple: "Measurements"?

Anybody well versed in ancient sciences?

How about "empiricism"

Meaning: The method or practice of an empiric; pursuit of knowledge by observation and experiment

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

Also see: http://www.carleton.ca/~tpatters/teachi ... ethod.html

And another general link on civilizations:
http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/WORLD.HTM

Let me make one more try to solve the problem of Academy.
The origins of science in antiquity was Astronomy, no doubt about that. There's a saying in Germans that the two first professions of men were the astronomer and the whore...
Anyway, we want something different. Academy can't be it, because it's a 4th century BC thing.
So maybe we can go back a few centuries to the mystical Pythagoras, but no, he's represetned by Music giving credit towards Maths...
So let's go back to the Ancient Egyptians, think about the pyramids and drainage systems and land measurement etc. and simply call the advance "Geometry"?