The Ascent of ScienceFrom the revolutionary discoveries of Galileo and Newton to the mind-bending theories of Einstein and Heisenberg, from plate tectonics to particle physics, from the origin of life to universal entropy, and from biology to cosmology, here is a sweeping, readable, and dynamic account of the whole of Western science. In the approachable manner and method of Stephen Jay Gould and Carl Sagan, the late Brian L. Silver translates our most important, and often most obscure, scientific developments into a vernacular that is not only accessible and illuminating but also enjoyable. Silver makes his comprehensive case with much clarity and insight; his book aptly locates science as the apex of human reason, and reason as our best path to the truth. For all readers curious about--or else perhaps intimidated by--what Silver calls "the scientific campaign up to now" in his Preface, The Ascent of Science will be fresh, vivid, and fascinating reading. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 72
Page xiv
... physicists was that nothing of any great importance remained to be done in physics . And then came radioactivity , X - rays , the discovery of the electron and the nucleus , a couple of hundred new fundamen- tal particles , quantum ...
... physicists was that nothing of any great importance remained to be done in physics . And then came radioactivity , X - rays , the discovery of the electron and the nucleus , a couple of hundred new fundamen- tal particles , quantum ...
Page xv
... physicist might tell you that matter is a " bunching up of a field , " but if we are honest we have to admit that " matter " is lit- tle more than one of the concepts that allows us to deal with what our senses re- port of what we call ...
... physicist might tell you that matter is a " bunching up of a field , " but if we are honest we have to admit that " matter " is lit- tle more than one of the concepts that allows us to deal with what our senses re- port of what we call ...
Page xvii
... physicists talk of matter as being the " manifestation " of a field . Part of this book is about fields . A Note on the Observer There is someone who is living my life . And I know nothing about him . —Luigi Pirandello , diary Say to ...
... physicists talk of matter as being the " manifestation " of a field . Part of this book is about fields . A Note on the Observer There is someone who is living my life . And I know nothing about him . —Luigi Pirandello , diary Say to ...
Page 12
... physicist who refused to accept the known exper- imental facts as being evidence for the existence of atoms . Today there are instru- ments that apparently produce pictures of atoms . But ask yourself a tough ques- tion : Can my ...
... physicist who refused to accept the known exper- imental facts as being evidence for the existence of atoms . Today there are instru- ments that apparently produce pictures of atoms . But ask yourself a tough ques- tion : Can my ...
Page 34
Sorry, this page's content is restricted.
Sorry, this page's content is restricted.
Contents
Part Two | 27 |
Part Three | 79 |
Part Four | 111 |
Part Five | 181 |
Part Six | 251 |
Part Seven | 355 |
Part Eight | 415 |
Part Nine | 477 |
Part Ten | 507 |
513 | |
519 | |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
acceleration amino acids appear atoms basic behavior believe Big Bang body carbon cells century chemical chemistry chromosomes completely concept contains crystal Darwin Descartes Earth effect Einstein electric electromagnetic electron elementary particles elements energy Enlightenment entropy enzyme equation evolution example existence experiments fact Faraday Figure frequencies galaxies Galilean invariance Galileo gases gene genetic give gravity heat helium Higgs boson human hydrogen hydrogen atom idea laws of motion living look mass material mathematical matter means measure metal million molecular molecules moving mutant nature neutron Newton Newtonian nucleus observed organism oxygen particles path philosopher photons physical physicist planets predict probability problem produced proteins Pythagoras quantum mechanics quarks radiation reason relativity result scientific scientists second law space special relativity species speed of light stars structure surface temperature theory tion universe velocity wave function
Popular passages
Page 12 - I now have before me a road which will lead us from the contemplation of the true God (in whom all the treasures of science and wisdom are contained) to the knowledge of the other objects of the universe. For, first of all, I recognise it to be impossible that He should ever deceive me...