ISBN: 9780190232993

In A Tale of Seven Scientists, Eric Scerri presents a new philosophy of science in the grand tradition that has recently been deemed impossible. Scerri believes that science develops as a… Mehr…

In A Tale of Seven Scientists, Eric Scerri presents a new philosophy of science in the grand tradition that has recently been deemed impossible. Scerri believes that science develops as a holistic entity, which is fundamentally unified even though the individuals making up the body scientificare frequently in competition among each other. He draws inspiration from a conviction that the world is essentially unified in the way that has been described by both Western and Eastern philosophers. Paradoxically, Scerri makes his case by considering in great detail the work of seven virtually unknown chemists and physicists who were among the founders of modern atomic theory. He sees these individuals as missing links in the view that science progresses as a whole rather than through thecontributions of a few outstanding personalities. Scerri believes that scientific advances take place when individual scientists propose an idea that is then picked up and modified by others. For example the English physicist John Nicholson proposed that angular momentum of electrons should bequantized. This idea was one of a few key ingredients in the work of Niels Bohr one of the fathers of modern atomic physics. Scerri likens this process to evolutionary developments in the natural world and random mutations. Those mutations that are beneficial to any particular living entity are propagated while those that are not are eliminated. Scerri claims that science is similarly conducting evolutionary trials, whichgradually further the overall progress of the body-scientific. The process occurs of it''s own accord, and is later seen as the result of a series of abrupt discoveries by particularly gifted individuals. But this picture is the result of neglecting all the intermediate partial steps that are takenby countless unknown scientists. Similarly Scerri wants to speak of a unified body-scientific which he calls Sci-Gaia by analogy with James Lovelock''s Gaia or the notion of a self-regulating earth. | A Tale of Seven Scientists and a New Philosophy of Science by Eric Scerri Hardcover | Indigo Chapters Kids' & Toys > Science & Nature > Science P10117, Eric Scerri<

ISBN: 9780190232993

In A Tale of Seven Scientists, Eric Scerri presents a new philosophy of science in the grand tradition that has recently been deemed impossible. Scerri believes that science develops as a… Mehr…

In A Tale of Seven Scientists, Eric Scerri presents a new philosophy of science in the grand tradition that has recently been deemed impossible. Scerri believes that science develops as a holistic entity, which is fundamentally unified even though the individuals making up the body scientificare frequently in competition among each other. He draws inspiration from a conviction that the world is essentially unified in the way that has been described by both Western and Eastern philosophers. Paradoxically, Scerri makes his case by considering in great detail the work of seven virtually unknown chemists and physicists who were among the founders of modern atomic theory. He sees these individuals as missing links in the view that science progresses as a whole rather than through thecontributions of a few outstanding personalities. Scerri believes that scientific advances take place when individual scientists propose an idea that is then picked up and modified by others. For example the English physicist John Nicholson proposed that angular momentum of electrons should bequantized. This idea was one of a few key ingredients in the work of Niels Bohr one of the fathers of modern atomic physics. Scerri likens this process to evolutionary developments in the natural world and random mutations. Those mutations that are beneficial to any particular living entity are propagated while those that are not are eliminated. Scerri claims that science is similarly conducting evolutionary trials, whichgradually further the overall progress of the body-scientific. The process occurs of it''s own accord, and is later seen as the result of a series of abrupt discoveries by particularly gifted individuals. But this picture is the result of neglecting all the intermediate partial steps that are takenby countless unknown scientists. Similarly Scerri wants to speak of a unified body-scientific which he calls Sci-Gaia by analogy with James Lovelock''s Gaia or the notion of a self-regulating earth. | A Tale of Seven Scientists and a New Philosophy of Science by Eric Scerri Hardcover | Indigo Chapters Books > Science & Nature > Science P10117, Eric Scerri<

ISBN: 9780190232993

In his latest book, Eric Scerri presents a completely original account of the nature of scientific progress. It consists of a holistic and unified approach in which science is seen as a l… Mehr…

In his latest book, Eric Scerri presents a completely original account of the nature of scientific progress. It consists of a holistic and unified approach in which science is seen as a living and evolving single organism. Instead of scientific revolutions featuring exceptionally gifted individuals, Scerri argues that the "little people" contribute as much as the "heroes" of science. To do this he examines seven case studies of virtually unknown chemists and physicists in the early 20th century quest to discover the structure of the atom. They include the amateur scientist Anton van den Broek who pioneered the notion of atomic number as well as Edmund Stoner a then physics graduate student who provided the seed for Pauli's Exclusion Principle. Another case is the physicist John Nicholson who is virtually unknown and yet was the first to propose the notion of quantization of angular momentum that was soon put to good use by Niels Bohr. Instead of focusing on the logic and rationality of science, Scerri elevates the role of trial and error and multiple discovery and moves beyond the notion of scientific developments being right or wrong. While criticizing Thomas Kuhn's notion of scientific revolutions he agrees with Kuhn that science is not drawn towards an external truth but is rather driven from within. The book will enliven the long-standing debate on the nature of science, which has increasingly shied away from the big question of "what is science?" Trade Books>Hardcover>Science>Hist & Phil of Science>Hist,Phil of Science, Oxford University Press Core >2<

ISBN: 9780190232993

Hardback. New. In his latest book, Eric Scerri presents a completely original account of the nature of scientific progress. It consists of a holistic and unified approach in which scien… Mehr…

Hardback. New. In his latest book, Eric Scerri presents a completely original account of the nature of scientific progress. It consists of a holistic and unified approach in which science is seen as a living and evolving single organism. Instead of scientific revolutions featuring exceptionally gifted individuals, Scerri argues that the 'little people' contribute as much as the 'heroes' of science. To do this he examines seven case studies of virtually unknown chemists and physicists in the early 20th century quest to discover the structure of the atom. They include the amateur scientist Anton van den Broek who pioneered the notion of atomic number as well as Edmund Stoner a then physics graduate student who provided the seed for Pauli's Exclusion Principle. Another case is the physicist John Nicholson who is virtually unknown and yet was the first to propose the notion of quantization of angular momentum that was soon put to good use by Niels Bohr. Instead of focusing on the logic and rationality of science, Scerri elevates the role of trial and error and multiple discovery and moves beyond the notion of scientific developments being right or wrong. While criticizing Thomas Kuhn's notion of scientific revolutions he agrees with Kuhn that science is not drawn towards an external truth but is rather driven from within. The book will enliven the long-standing debate on the nature of science, which has increasingly shied away from the big question of &quot;what is science?&quot, 6<

2016, ISBN: 9780190232993

Buch, Hardcover, [PU: Oxford University Press Inc], Oxford University Press Inc, 2016