Description
Book SynopsisThere is ample evidence that it is difficult for the general public to understand and internalize scientific facts. Disputes over such facts are often amplified amid political controversies. As we''ve seen with climate change and even COVID-19, politicians rely on the perceptions of their constituents when making decisions that impact public policy. So, how do we make sure that what the public understands is accurate? In this book, Steven L. Goldman traces the public''s suspicion of scientific knowledge claims to a broad misunderstanding, reinforced by scientists themselves, of what it is that scientists know, how they know it, and how to act on the basis of it.In sixteen chapters, Goldman takes readers through the history of scientific knowledge from Plato and Aristotle, through the birth of modern science and its maturation, into a powerful force for social change to the present day. He explains how scientists have wrestled with their own understanding of what it is that they know, that theories evolve, and why the public misunderstands the reliability of scientific knowledge claims.With many examples drawn from the history of philosophy and science, the chapters illustrate an ongoing debate over how we know what we say we know and the relationship between knowledge and reality. Goldman covers a rich selection of ideas from the founders of modern science and John Locke''s response to Newton''s theories to Thomas Kuhn''s re-interpretation of scientific knowledge and the Science Wars that followed it. Goldman relates these historical disputes to current issues, underlining the important role scientists play in explaining their own research to nonscientists and the effort nonscientists must make to incorporate science into public policies. A narrative exploration of scientific knowledge, Science Wars engages with the arguments of both sides by providing thoughtful scientific, philosophical, and historical discussions on every page.
Trade ReviewTo anyone seeking a lively historical tour of the problematic nature of scientific knowledge and our unending struggle to pin down what makes it so valuable, I recommend Science Wars enthusiastically. * David E. Dunning, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia *
In a world where 'truth' has become as subjective as beauty, Science Wars is essential reading. A wide-ranging tour de force, this book tells us about the nature of knowledge, leavened with clever asides: Galileo was arrogant, Newton dismissed dissenters, and Carl Friedrich Gauss and Leonard Euler are candidates for the greatest mathematician of all time. All this to say, Steve Goldman is an engaging writer * William L. Silber, Senior Advisor, Cornerstone Research; Former Marcus Nadler Professor of Finance and Economics, Stern School of Business, New York University; and author most recently of The Power of Nothing to Lose *
This book is well written and carefully presented. Steven Goldman's focus on the evolution of science from the 17th century to present day provides an excellent lens through which to explore what is meant by scientific 'knowledge.' * Rachel A. Ankeny, The University of Adelaide *
Goldman's writing style is engaging and clear as he describes the problem of scientific knowledge and the two major approaches. While reading, I was impressed that he could engage with such important material in such a succinct way * Allan Franklin, University of Colorado Boulder *
This is a very useful book...the explanations are clear and accessible. Some of themore historical sections are heavy going, but the effort invested in these sections will be rewarded. I have read the book to write this review but will read it again. There is much to take from it. * David Parker, Physiology, Development & Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom, Quarterly Review of Biology *
As a summing up of a scholar's lifetime of thinking and teaching, no finer testimony could be imagined than this book. It should be on the mandatory reading list of all scientific aspirants, for the depth of its insights is altogether exceptional and not to be missed by any reader with a deep interest in this subject matter. * J. Lawrenz, The European Legacy *
Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1: Knowledge as a Problem. Chapter 2: Is There a Scientific Method? Chapter 3: Was Galileo Right and the Catholic Church Wrong? Chapter 4: Newton and Knowledge of the Universe Chapter 5: Science versus Philosophy Chapter 6: Science and Social Reform in the Age of Reason Chapter 7: What is Science About? Chapter 8: The Knowledge Problem in Mature Science Chapter 9: Scientific Realism and the Romantic Reaction against Reason Chapter 10: Early Twentieth Century Philosophy of Science Chapter 11: Einstein versus Bohr on Reality Chapter 12: In Quest of the Thinker of Science Chapter 13: A New Image for Science Chapter 14: The Opening Phase of the Science Wars Chapter 15: Taking Sides for and against Reason and Knowledge Chapter 16: The Science Wars Go Public References Index
