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Books > Science & Mathematics > Science: general issues > History of science
In a society more concerned with how to cope with existential dread than how to make actionable changes to save the planet, a surprisingly large number of Americans identify as environmentalists. What can individual people do to lessen human impacts on the planet? This is not an easy question. Most research is focused on large-scale changes that go beyond anything an individual can accomplish, and people are left feeling defeated rather than inspired to make changes in their everyday lives. Change starts at home, and F Stuart Chapin, III has assembled a book for people who want to learn more about global changes and, more importantly, what they can do about them, starting today. Grassroots Stewardship approaches our current situation with an educated sense of hope and positivity. This book emphasizes actions by individuals, rather than governmental or corporate institutions, to trigger transformational change. Readers will learn what they can do to most significantly transform their communities and the planet with more sustainable pathways.
This fascinating biographical dictionary surveys the American women who have made significant contributions to major fields of scientific endeavor since 1950. In American Women in Science, each of the concise A-Z biographies of more than 300 women includes information on the woman's background, employment history, honors, and publications, and then places her achievements in the appropriate scientific and social context. Other features include illustrations, bibliographic references, and an index that lists women by scientific discipline. Among the biographical entries are Jane Brody, Helen Mary Caldicott, Ada E. Deer, Jane Delgado, Dian Fossey, Margaret Hamilton, Devrie Intriligator, Shirley Ann Jackson, and Judith Kimble. All biographical entries are indexed by profession, name, and subject, making this an outstanding reference for students and teachers of women's studies and science as well as anyone interested in the scientific achievements of women. Biographical entries of female scientific figures from Jane Brody and Helen Mary Caldicott to Shirley Ann Jackson and Judith Kimble All entries are indexed by profession, name, and subject Bibliographic references and illustrations
In the year 1889 Sofya Vasilievna Kovalevskaya, Profes- sor of Mathematics at the University of Stockholm, pub- lished her recollections of growing up in mid-nineteenth century Russia. Professor Kovalevskaya was already an international celebrity, and partly for the wrong reasons: less as the distinguished mathematician she actually was than as a "mathematical lady"-a bizarre but fascinating phenomenon.* Her book was an immediate success. She had written it in Russian, but its first publication was a translation into Swedish, the language of her adopted homeland, where it appeared thinly disguised as a novel under the title From Russian Ltfe: the Rajevski Sisters (Sonja Kovalevsky. Ur ryska lifvet. Systrarna Rajevski. Heggstrom, 1889). In the following year the book came out in Russia in two *"My gifted Mathematical Assistant Mr. Hammond exclaimed ...'Why, this is the first handsome mathematical lady I have ever seen!'" Letter to S. V. Kovalevskaya from].]. Sylvester, Professor of Mathe- matics, New College, Oxford, Dec. 25, 1886.
This volume addresses the history and epistemology of early modern cosmology. The authors reconstruct the development of cosmological ideas in the age of 'scientific revolution' from Copernicus to Leibniz, taking into account the growth of a unified celestial-and-terrestrial mechanics. The volume investigates how, in the rise of the new science, cosmology displayed deep and multifaceted interrelations between scientific notions (stemming from mechanics, mathematics, geometry, astronomy) and philosophical concepts. These were employed to frame a general picture of the universe, as well as to criticize and interpret scientific notions and observational data. This interdisciplinary work reconstructs a conceptual web pervaded by various intellectual attitudes and drives. It presents an historical-epistemological unified itinerary which includes Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, Descartes, Huygens, Newton and Leibniz. For each of the scientists and philosophers, a presentation and commentary is made of their cosmological views, and where relevant, outlines of their most relevant physical concepts are given. Furthermore, the authors highlight the philosophical and epistemological implications of their scientific works. This work is helpful both as a synthetic overview of early modern cosmology, and an analytical exposition of the elements that were intertwined in early-modern cosmology. This book addresses historians, philosophers, and scientists and can also be used as a research source book by post-graduate students in epistemology, history of science and history of philosophy.
"Egyptian Mummies" is regarded by egyptologists as the classic account of mummification in ancient Egypt. Originally published in 1924, its re-issue in complete form will be welcomed by all those who have sought rare second hand copies in vain. This book provides the most comprehensive account available of the technical processes and materials employed by the ancient Egyptian embalmers together with a historical analysis of their modification throughout the dynastic period. The authors draw on fully illustrated archaeological and pathological evidence together with Egyptian and Greek textual references to provide a thorough survey of the mummification process and attendant funeral ceremonies, and to offer clues to an understanding of the custom's significance and the reasons for its adoption.
Kepler's Physical Astronomy is an account of Kepler's reformulation of astronomy as a physical science, and of his successful use of (incorrect) physics as a guide in his astronomical discoveries. It presents the only reliable account of the internal logic of Kepler's so-called first and second laws, showing how and to what extent Kepler thought he had derived them from his physical principles. It explains for the first time Kepler's attempt to use an obscure discovery of Tycho Brahe to unify and confirm all of his own physical theories. It also describes the intricate (and neglected) theory which Kepler developed to account for the additional anomalies needed for the theory of the moon.
The holy grail of theoretical physics is to find the theory of everything that combines all the forces of nature, including gravity. This book addresses the question: how far are we from such discovery? Over the last few decades, multiple roads to finding a quantum theory of gravity have been proposed but no obvious description of nature has emerged in this domain. What is to be made of this situation? This volume probes the state-of-the art in this daunting quest of theoretical physics by collecting critical interviews with nearly forty leading theorists in this field. These broad-ranging conversations give important insights and candid opinions on the various approaches to quantum gravity, including string theory, loop quantum gravity, causal set theory and asymptotic safety. This unique, readable overview provides a gateway into cutting edge research for students and others who wish to engage with the open problem of quantum gravity.
It was not long ago that phrenology was commonly dismissed with amused contempt. However, recent scholarship now views it as one of the most significant, if curious, social and intellectual manifestations of the nineteenth century. It is seen as having impinged on virtually every aspect of life, thought and belief and is regarded as having contributed instrumentally to developments in anthropology, criminology, medicine, psychiatry and education. Many eminent figures of the period are also now appreciated as having seriously occupied themselves with phrenology, from sociologists Comte and Spencer to novelists such as Eliot and Balzac. This set of eight volumes draws together a wealth of material crucial to the intellectual debate over phrenology, both as a branch of mental physiology and as a contribution to the history of philosophy. The articles selected represent the variety of different views throughout the nineteenth century, both pro and anti-phrenology.
Romanticism in all its expression communicated a vision of the essential interconnectedness and harmony of the universe. The romantic concept of knowledge was decidedly unitary, but, in the period between 1790 and 1840, the special emphasis it placed on observation and research led to an unprecedented accumulation of data, accompanied by a rapid growth in scientific specialization. An example of the tensions created by this development is to be found in the scientists' congresses which attempted a first response to the fragmentation of scientific research. The problem concerning the unitary concept of knowledge in that period, and the new views of the world which were generated are the subject of this book. The articles it contains are all based on original research by an international group of highly specialized scholars. Their research probes a wide range of issues, from the heirs of Naturphilosophie, to the life sciences', and to the debate on Baconian Sciences', as well as examining many aspects of mathematics, physics and chemistry. History of philosophy and history of science scholars will find this book an essential reference work, as well as all those interested in 19th century history in general. Undergraduate and graduate students will also find here angles and topics that have hitherto been largely neglected.
Vitalism is usually associated with Romantic theories of nature, but the supposition of a 'vital principle' or life-force recurred throughout eighteenth-century natural philosophy, to counter the inadequacy of mechanism to understand the operation of natural life. This book traces the persistent presence of a language of vital nature not only in eighteenth-century science, but in literary and philosophical writing too: in moral philosophy, theories of sensibility and political economy, and in the radical journalism and women's writing of the 1790s. It explores the influence of the Scottish vitalist physiology of Robert Whytt and others on writers and thinkers as diverse as Adam Smith, David Hume, Erasmus Darwin, John Hunter, John Thelwall and Mary Wollstonecraft. In doing so, it shows the centrality of vitalism to eighteenth-century accounts of the body, nature, matter and life, and offers a new way of understanding the relationship between eighteenth-century science and culture and that of the Romantic period.
This open access book presents a new translation, interpretation and analysis of selected passages from the so-called Mohist Canon, a Chinese text from ca. 300 BCE, and discusses the role of the text in the world history of science, arguing that it represents an early emergence of theoretical, systematized knowledge that is independent from parallel developments in ancient Greece. It is aimed at historians of science, of knowledge and of philosophy, and generally at readers interested in these topics from an intercultural perspective and particularly with respect to China.
"A scientific opinion is one which there is some reason to believe is true; an unscientific opinion is one which is held for some reason other than its probable truth". One of Russell's most important books, this early classic on science illuminates his thinking on the promise and threat of scientific progress. Russell considers three questions fundamental to an understanding of science: the nature and scope of scientific knowledge, the increased power over nature that science affords, and the changes in the lives of human beings that result from new forms of science. With customary wit and clarity, Russell offers brilliant discussions of many major scientific figures, including Aristotle, Galileo, Newton and Darwin. Unavailable for many years, this book should prove interesting reading for Russell followers and anyone interested in popular science and philosophy.
The industrial revolution stands out as a key event not simply in British history, but in world history, ushering in as it did a new era of sustained economic prosperity. But what exactly was the 'industrial revolution'? And why did it occur in Britain when it did? Ever since the expression was coined in the 19th century, historians have been debating these questions, and there now exists a large and complex historiography concerned with English industrialisation. This short history of the British Industrial Revolution, aimed at undergraduates, sets out to answer these questions. It will synthesise the latest research on British industrialisation into an exciting and interesting account of the industrial revolution. Deploying clear argument, lively language, and a fresh set of organising themes, this short history revisits one of the most central events in British history in a novel and accessible way. This is an ideal text for undergraduate students studying the Industrial Revolution or 19th Century Britain.
This seventh edition of A History of Psychology: The Emergence of Science and Applications traces the history of psychology from antiquity through the early twenty-first century, giving students a thorough look into psychology’s origins and key developments in basic and applied psychology. It presents internal, disciplinary history as well as external contextual history, emphasizing the interactions between psychological ideas and the larger cultural and historical contexts in which psychologists and other thinkers conduct research, teach, and live. It also has a strong scholarly foundation and more than 400 new references. This new edition retains and expands the strengths of previous editions and introduces several important changes. The text features more women, people of color, and others who are historically marginalized as well as new sections about early Black psychology and barriers faced by people who are diverse. It also includes expanded discussions of eugenics and racism in early psychology. There is new content on the history of the biological basis of psychology; the emergence of qualitative methods; and ecopsychology, ecotherapy, and environmental psychology. Recent historical findings about social psychology, including new historical findings about the Stanford Prison Experiment, Milgram’s obedience research, and Sherif’s conformity studies, have also been incorporated. Continuing the tradition of past editions, the text focuses on engaging students and inspiring them to recognize the power of history in their own lives, to connect history to the present and the future, and to think critically and historically.
Women engineers have been in the public limelight for decades, yet
we have surprisingly little historically grounded understanding of
the patterns of employment and education of women in this field.
Most studies are either policy papers or limited to statistical
analyses. Moreover, the scant historical research so far available
emphasizes the individual, single and unique character of those
women working in engineering, often using anecdotal evidence but
ignoring larger issues like the patterns of the labour market and
educational institutions.
Women engineers have been in the public limelight for decades, yet
we have surprisingly little historically grounded understanding of
the patterns of employment and education of women in this field.
Most studies are either policy papers or limited to statistical
analyses. Moreover, the scant historical research so far available
emphasizes the individual, single and unique character of those
women working in engineering, often using anecdotal evidence but
ignoring larger issues like the patterns of the labour market and
educational institutions.
Although the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, has become synonymous with the United States' planetary exploration during the past half century, its most recent focus has been on Mars. Beginning in the 1990s and continuing through the Mars Phoenix mission of 2007, JPL led the way in engineering an impressive, rapidly evolving succession of Mars orbiters and landers, including roving robotic vehicles whose successful deployment onto the Martian surface posed some of the most complicated technical problems in space flight history. In Exploration and Engineering, Erik M. Conway reveals how JPL engineers' creative technological feats led to major breakthroughs in Mars exploration. He takes readers into the heart of the lab's problem-solving approach and management structure, where talented scientists grappled with technical challenges while also coping, not always successfully, with funding shortfalls, unrealistic schedules, and managerial turmoil. Conway, JPL's historian, offers an insider's perspective into the changing goals of Mars exploration, the ways in which sophisticated computer simulations drove the design process, and the remarkable evolution of landing technologies over a thirty-year period.
Variational principles have proven to be surprisingly fertile. For example, Fermat used variational methods to demonstrate that light follows the fastest route from one point to another, an idea which came to be a cornerstone of geometrical optics. This book explains variational principles and charts their use throughout modern physics. It examines the analytical mechanics of Lagrange and Hamilton, the basic tools of any physicist. The book also offers simple but rich first impressions of Einstein’s General Relativity, Feynman’s Quantum Mechanics, and more that reveal amazing interconnections between various fields of physics.
Since the origin of the modern sciences, our views on discovery and creativity had a remarkable history. Originally, discovery was seen as an integral part of methodology and the logic of discovery as algorithmic or nearly algorithmic. During the nineteenth century, conceptions in line with romanticism led to the famous opposition between the context of discovery and the context of justification, culminating in a view that banned discovery from methodology. The revival of the methodological investigation of discovery, which started some thirty years ago, derived its major impetus from historical and sociological studies of the sciences and from developments within cognitive psychology and artificial intelligence. Today, a large majority of philosophers of science agrees that the classical conception as well as the romantic conception are mistaken. Against the classical conception, it is generally accepted that truly novel discoveries are not the result of simply applying some standardized procedure. Against the romantic conception, it is rejected that discoveries are produced by unstructured flashes of insight. An especially important result of the contemporary study concerns the availability of (descriptive and normative) models for explaining discoveries and creative processes. Descriptive models mainly aim at explaining the origin of novel products; normative models moreover address the question how rational researchers should proceed when confronted with problems for which a standard procedure is missing. The present book provides an overview of these models and of the important changes they induced within methodology. As appears from several papers, the methodological study of discovery and creativity led to profound changes in our conceptions of justification and acceptance, of rationality, of scientific change, and of conceptual change. The book contains contributions from both historians and philosophers of science. All of them, however, are methodological in the contemporary sense of the term. The central values of this methodology are empirical accurateness, clarity and precision, and rationality. The different contributions realize these values by their interdisciplinary nature. Some philosophically oriented papers rely on historical case studies and results from the cognitive sciences, others on recent results from the computer sciences and/or non-standard logics. The historically oriented papers address central philosophical questions and hypotheses. |
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