The wisdom of science / R. Hanbury Brown.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Brown, R. Hanbury (Robert Hanbury)

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Science--Philosophy.

Science.

Science--Social aspects.

Science--Moral and ethical aspects.

Physical Description:

viii, 194 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm

Place of Publication:

Cambridge [Cambridgeshire] ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 1986.

Summary:

We live in a culture which, while largely dependent on science for its material welfare, is largely ignorant of the new ideas and perspectives on which science is based. This book examines the true significance of science and technology for society over the last three hundred years. Professor Hanbury Brown??'s insight and experience have resulted in a novel approach to the discussion of the cultural role of science. After reviewing the history of how science grew to be both useful to, and feared by society, the book traces the same period in the context of new ideas and concepts in scientific research. Later chapters deal with society??'s current view of science and the need for attitudes to be changed, and then a discussion of the religious dimensions of science. This book aims to clear away some of the popular misconceptions about science and to put in their place a wider and deeper understanding of the nature of science and its value to society.

Contents:

1 Changing the World

1.1 Early attitudes to Science 1

1.2 A new Vision

Science as the Key to Progress 4

1.3 New Tools and Methods for Science 11

1.4 Science forms a Community 14

1.5 Early Science as seen by the Public 17

1.6 Early attempts to make use of Science 19

1.7 Science meets Industry and is seen to be useful 21

1.8 Knowledge meets Power

the first science-based industries 27

1.9 Science becomes a Profession 31

1.10 Science grows fast 32

1.11 Science finds Patrons in Industry 35

1.12 Science finds Patrons in Government 38

1.13 Science is identified with its Applications 40

2 Interpreting the World

2.1 The Medieval Model of the World 42

2.2 The Medieval Model is destroyed

the Copernican revolution 45

2.3 Newton makes a new Model of the World 47

2.4 The Mechanical Philosophy

the Cartesian revolution 50

2.5 The Idea that Matter is made up of Atoms 54

2.6 The Idea that Living Matter is made up of Cells 58

2.7 Understanding Heat and Energy 59

2.8 The Idea of the Aether

the Mechanical Philosophy fails 61

2.9 The Idea of Evolution

the Darwinian revolution 63

2.10 Fin du Siecle 65

2.11 Science in the 20th century

exploring the very large and very small 66

2.12 Exploring the very small

the realm of the atom 68

2.13 The Ideas of the Quantum Theory

a revolution in scientific thought 74

2.14 The Idea of Complementarity

the observer enters the picture 75

2.15 Chance replaces Certainty 79

2.16 A Failure of Reductionism

some things cannot be taken to pieces 83

2.17 Exploring the very large

a new understanding of Space and Time 86

2.18 Exploring the very large

the realm of the Galaxies 91

2.19 In the Beginning 92

3 The Cultural Dimension of Science

3.1 Our Image of Science 101

3.2 Making better practical use of Science 108

3.3 Why support Basic Research? 110

3.4 How shall we choose what Basic Research to do? 115

3.5 Learning about Science 119

3.6 The Cultural Function of Science 122

3.7 The Perspectives of Science 125

3.8 Science and Values 131

3.9 Beyond the Mechanical Philosophy 135

3.10 Living with Uncertainty 138

3.11 Science as Metaphor 139

3.12 The Pursuit of Wisdom 142

4 The Religious Dimension of Science

4.1 The Divorce of Science and Religion 145

4.2 The need to reconcile Science and Religion 149

4.3 The Nature and Function of Science and Religion 153

4.4 Scientific Knowledge and Divine Revelation 155

4.5 Religious Belief and Obsolete Science 164

4.6 Religious Belief and Contemporary Science 169

4.7 The Enlightenment of Belief 174.

Notes:

Includes index.

Bibliography: pages 186-187.

ISBN:

0521307260

0521314488

OCLC:

12371297