Description
'This book is a report of the scientific campaign up to now. It is not a history of science but rather an account of the major battles, the frequently eccentric generals and the ways in which science has deeply influenced man's picture of the world and of himself. It is not a final summing-up. We know that we are far from a real understanding of nature. We press on. Michelangelo's divine discontent gives us no rest. And although the history of science may be a trail littered with broken theories and discarded concepts, science is also a triumph of reason, luck, and above all imagination. There are few more successful, exciting, or strange journeys.' From the author's preface In The Ascent of Science, Brian Silver provides a sweeping and dynamic overview of the whole of Western science, from the Renaissance to the present. In it, he translates the most profoundly important, and often impenetrably obscure, scientific developments into a vernacular that is not only accessible and illuminating but highly enjoyable as well.
About the Author
Former Professor of Physical Chemistry, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Israel (now deceased).
Reviews
Silver, a physical chemist, is good on the molecular basis of thermodynamics * Nature *
it's by far the most eccentric, opinionated and bizarre I've come across. It is also one of the best * New Scientist *
succeeds handsomely in presenting most of the big ides in science, together with a stimulating overview of its history and some well-informed commedntary on science in the 1990s * New Scientist *
The Ascent of Science is an intriguingly orginal introduction to science and will be a boon to those of us who make a living out of making science accessible to nonspecialists...many teachers of Science for Poets course, so popular in the US, will find plenty of rewarding ideas here, not least Silver's outspoken views on current science policy * New Scientist *
Most enjoyable of all is Silver's spicy accessible style * New Scientist *
Brian Silver's book is an enormously ambitious project,and might well be subtitled "Everything you always wanted to know about science" * Physics World *
this book is a wonderful refresher course; it is full of unexpected bits of history and is remarkably readable * Physics World *
a fine book, explaining what it covers with care, thoughtfulness what it covers with care, thoughtfulness and wit * Physics World *
Silver's wicked way with words explains the most important discoveries of science in everyday language and periodically illustrates the points with reference to contemporary culture....Throughout this mighty book I was laughing....I shall never think about atoms in the same way again!...By the breadth and vision of his book, the power of his pen, his ability to explain extraordinary and difficult concepts by reference to the ordinary and the ability to appear to lose that sense of awe and wonderment at the greatness of it all...pass it on to your scientifically illiterate friends. Stand proud. And admit that yes, you too are a scientist s ChemWeb Inc - Paul Board
Silver writes with extraordinary grace and sparkling wit - and with a comprehensiveness unparalleled in science writing. * Research and Innovation *
Book Information
ISBN 9780195134278
Author Brian L. Silver
Format Paperback
Page Count 552
Imprint Oxford University Press Inc
Publisher Oxford University Press Inc
Weight(grams) 1234g
Dimensions(mm) 280mm * 211mm * 30mm
About the Author
Former Professor of Physical Chemistry, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Israel (now deceased).
Reviews
Silver, a physical chemist, is good on the molecular basis of thermodynamics * Nature *
it's by far the most eccentric, opinionated and bizarre I've come across. It is also one of the best * New Scientist *
succeeds handsomely in presenting most of the big ides in science, together with a stimulating overview of its history and some well-informed commedntary on science in the 1990s * New Scientist *
The Ascent of Science is an intriguingly orginal introduction to science and will be a boon to those of us who make a living out of making science accessible to nonspecialists...many teachers of Science for Poets course, so popular in the US, will find plenty of rewarding ideas here, not least Silver's outspoken views on current science policy * New Scientist *
Most enjoyable of all is Silver's spicy accessible style * New Scientist *
Brian Silver's book is an enormously ambitious project,and might well be subtitled "Everything you always wanted to know about science" * Physics World *
this book is a wonderful refresher course; it is full of unexpected bits of history and is remarkably readable * Physics World *
a fine book, explaining what it covers with care, thoughtfulness what it covers with care, thoughtfulness and wit * Physics World *
Silver's wicked way with words explains the most important discoveries of science in everyday language and periodically illustrates the points with reference to contemporary culture....Throughout this mighty book I was laughing....I shall never think about atoms in the same way again!...By the breadth and vision of his book, the power of his pen, his ability to explain extraordinary and difficult concepts by reference to the ordinary and the ability to appear to lose that sense of awe and wonderment at the greatness of it all...pass it on to your scientifically illiterate friends. Stand proud. And admit that yes, you too are a scientist s ChemWeb Inc - Paul Board
Silver writes with extraordinary grace and sparkling wit - and with a comprehensiveness unparalleled in science writing. * Research and Innovation *
Book Information
ISBN 9780195134278
Author Brian L. Silver
Format Paperback
Page Count 552
Imprint Oxford University Press Inc
Publisher Oxford University Press Inc
Weight(grams) 1234g
Dimensions(mm) 280mm * 211mm * 30mm
