Description
Book SynopsisBarbara J. Shapiro traces the surprising genesis of the "fact," a modern concept that, she convincingly demonstrates, originated not in natural science but in legal discourse. She follows the concept's evolution and diffusion across a variety of...
Trade ReviewShapiro has written an excellent work in intellectual and cultural history.
* Virginia Quarterly Review *
The book is filled with quotes and references to a very wide range of primary as well as secondary sources. It will be of much heuristic value in studying the changing meanings of 'fact' in this period, quite apart from Shapiro's strong argument concerning the special role of the law.
-- Peter Dear, Cornell University * Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences *
This nutshell presentation does far from justice to the nuances of the basic argument of the book, still less to the striking nature of the supporting detail... It should be given a hearty welcome as a trenchant and well illustrated contribution to an ongoing debate.
-- Paul Dukes * Journal of European Studies *
