The Scientific Revolution (science * culture)

Rating:
Summary: The Scientific Revolution changed how we see the world
Review: I am amazed by the review written by the reader from Sydney. This book does not pretend to give a chronological narrative of who did what when in the making of modern science. There are many books that do that job. Instead, Shapin is interested in what difference the Scientific Revolution made to how people at the time, and how we, think about the natural world. The major changes may have been the new idea that nature could be investigated and understood, not merely regarded with awe and fear; that careful, repeatable experiments could yield information about how nature works; and that this new approach to nature changed how human beings regarded our relation to the natural world and our place in it. If nature is something that we can explore and understand, then we have a new power; we are no longer on a par with the natural world, because we can see into it. The ways in which knowledge is acquired, or made, and why it matters that we pursue and develop this knowledge are part of Shapin's central theme. These are not small questions, and to my mind they are addressed elegantly in this short but very substantial book.

Rating:
Summary: Terrible
Review: If you are looking for an account of the complex chain of events, discoveries and philosophies leading to the emergence of the modern scientific worldview, this is the wrong book. It is heavily influenced by post-modernist views, whereas science is seen as a "discourse" no more or less valid than "alternative" modes of knowledge. Since this is plainly incorrect, the book fits the facts to the Procustean bed of "theory" to support its thesis. For instance, never is the book is the development of Calculus mentioned, clearly an essential step in the development of classical mechanics and the foundation of most modern scientific theories. The same may be said for countless other developments which are cavalierly ignored. There was a scientific revolution and its effects are all around us, including the medium on which this review is written.

Rating:
Summary: Decent Introductory Text
Review: The Scientific Revolution represented a profound change in the way that we try to understand nature. The influence of science today, and its prestite, is pervasive. So this is an interesting topic. But Shapin's book is only an introduction. You'll get some names (Boyle, Galileo, Descartes, Bacon, Newton) and some interesting quotes and summaries of their thought. The issues of experiment, measurement and mathematization are treated. But none of it is in much depth. You won't learn any of the specifics of Copernicus, Galileo or Newton. If this is your first intro to the subject, it's fine. But for someone like me who already has somewhat of a background, most of this was stuff I already knew. It's well written, easy to read and has somewhat of a critical perspective, which is nice. But it's somewhat superficial and shallow. But it serves it purpose, I suppose.

Greg Feirman ([e-mail])

Rating:
Summary: Decent Introductory Text
Review: The Scientific Revolution represented a profound change in the way that we try to understand nature. The influence of science today, and its prestite, is pervasive. So this is an interesting topic. But Shapin's book is only an introduction. You'll get some names (Boyle, Galileo, Descartes, Bacon, Newton) and some interesting quotes and summaries of their thought. The issues of experiment, measurement and mathematization are treated. But none of it is in much depth. You won't learn any of the specifics of Copernicus, Galileo or Newton. If this is your first intro to the subject, it's fine. But for someone like me who already has somewhat of a background, most of this was stuff I already knew. It's well written, easy to read and has somewhat of a critical perspective, which is nice. But it's somewhat superficial and shallow. But it serves it purpose, I suppose.

Greg Feirman ([e-mail])