A Short History of Scientific Thought - Paperback

by John Henry (Author)

An essential introductory textbook that shows students how science came to be such an important aspect of modern culture. Lively and readable, it provides a rich historical survey of the major developments in scientific thought, from the Ancient Greeks to the twentieth century. John Henry also explains how new scientific theories have emerged and analyses their impact on contemporary thinking.

This is an ideal core text for modules on the History of Science, Medicine and Technology, or the History and Philosophy of Science - or a supplementary text for broader modules on European History or Intellectual History - which may be offered at the upper levels of an undergraduate History, Philosophy or Science degree. In addition it is a crucial resource for students who may be studying the history of science for the first time as part of a taught postgraduate degree in European History, Intellectual History, Science or Philosophy.

Back Jacket

From Plato to Einstein, via Copernicus and Darwin, this fascinating text shows how science came to be such a dominating and important aspect of modern culture. Presented as a lively and highly readable narrative, it provides a rich historical
survey of the major developments in scientific thought, from the Ancient Greeks to the twentieth century. Along the way, John Henry revises many false assumptions that have been made about the history of science and offers new interpretations. Grounded firmly upon the latest historical scholarship, the book explains how new scientific theories have emerged and analyses their impact on contemporary thinking.

A Short History of Scientific Thought places the history of science within its social, cultural and historical contexts, covering key topics such as:

í the relationship between science and religion
í the history of science and magic
í experimental and mechanical philosophy
í Newton's legacy
í theories of evolution

Author Biography

JOHN HENRY Professor of the History of Science at the University of Edinburgh, UK. He has published widely in the history of science from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries, including The Scientific Revolution and the Origins of Modern Science, now in its third edition
JOHN HENRY Professor of the History of Science at the University of Edinburgh, UK. He has published widely in the history of science from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries, including The Scientific Revolution and the Origins of Modern Science, now in its third edition