Science should be, by its very nature, logical and objective, but
scientific discovery is a historical and living process, as much
shaped by personality, belief, ambition and rivalry as ideas and
theory. This book charts ten great contentious debates in
scientific theory, from the geometrical battle between Hobbes and
Wallis which lasted a quarter of a century, to Darwin' s conflict
with the church over natural selection, to modern evolutionary
feuds including Leakey's Missing Link and the timeless
nature/nurture debate. Written in an entertaining and accessible
style, this not only educates us about those theories we should
really all know and titilates by bringing the key personalities to
life, adding colour to the controversies, it essentially places
these feuds within a political, religious and social context
creating a book that will be of interest to scientists and
non-scientists alike. (Kirkus UK)
The dramatic stories of ten historic feuds: How they altered the course of discovery—and shaped the modern world
Hall Hellman tells the lively stories of ten of the most outrageous and intriguing disputes from the seventeenth to the twentieth centuries. Bringing the cataclysmic clash of ideas and personalities to colorful life, Hellman explores both the science and the spirit of the times. Along the way, he reveals that scientific feuds are fueled not only by the purest of intellectual disagreements, but also by intransigence, ambition, jealousy, politics, faith, and the irresistible human urge to be right.
Unusual insight into the development of science . . . I was excited by this book and enthusiastically recommend it to general as well as scientific audiences. —American Scientist
Hellman has assembled a series of entertaining tales. . . . many fine examples of heady invective without parallel in our time. —Nature
An entertaining and informative account of the unusual personalities and sometimes bitter rivalries of some of the world's greatest scientific minds. —Publishers Weekly
A fascinating new book which details some of the most famous disputes of the ages.—Courier Mail
Dry science history turns into entertaining reading without sacrificing historical accuracy. —The Christchurch Press
Great Feuds in Science is wonderful history, as the reader learns how scientists had to fight with religious leaders and other scientists to get their work recognized, accepted, and even get the credit for it! —Bookviews
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