Ideas on the Nature of Science

by David Cayley (Editor)

Overview

If science is neither cookery, nor angelic virtuosity, then what is it? Modern societies have tended to take science for granted as a way of knowing, ordering, and controlling the world, where everything was subject to science, but science itself has largely escaped scrutiny. In this fascinating collection of interviews, CBC Radio's Ideas producer David Cayley talks to some of the world's most provocative thinkers about how the ideas of science have directed human thought and shaped human society. Contributors include: Steven Shapin, Simon Schaffer, Margaret Lock, Arthur Zajonc, Rupert Sheldrake, Sajay Samuel, Richard Lewontin, Ruth Hubbard, Ulrich Beck, David Abram, and many others.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780864925442
Publisher:	Goose Lane Editions
Publication date:	10/09/2009
Edition description:	First edition
Pages:	380
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

David Cayley is a Toronto-based writer-broadcaster. Over the course of his career, he has interviewed some of the leading philosophers, literary critics, historians, social theorists, and scientists of our day.

Table of Contents

Introduction David cayley 9

Knowledge Is an Institution Simon Schaffer 17

A Story Without an Ending Lorraine Daston 34

Local Biologies Margaret Lock 53

If You Can Spray Them, Then They're Real Ian Hacking 71

The Dance of Agency Andrew Pickering 81

Risk Society Ulrich Beck 92

From Critique to Composition Bruno Latour 102

Through Gaian Eyes James Lovelock 109

Every Object, Well Contemplated, Changes Who You Are Arthur Zajonc 129

What Needs to Be Subtracted Wendell Berry 149

A Heretic in the Church of Science Rupert Sheldrake 164

Rationality and Ritual Brian Wynne 185

How Reasonable Is Scientific Reason? Sajay Samuel 205

Everything Speaks David Abram 223

Science Manages the Sea Dean Bavington 238

What Genes Say Barbara Duden 257

Losing Sight of People Silya Samerski 266

The Price of Metaphor Richard Lewontin 276

Science Is Part of the Social Structure Ruth Hubbard 298

Science and Myth Mary Midgley 314

An Anthropology of Science Allan Young 323

The Trouble with Physics Lee Smolin 341

From Knowledge to Wisdom Nicholas Maxwell 360

Acknowledgements 379

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Cayley's entertaining, eclectic, challenging conversations unveil a rich ecology of how we think about the world and why it matters. These exhilarating adventures into the frontiers of the sciences left me with a sense of wonder, and of hope." — David Waltner-Toews, author of The Chickens Fight Back

"An important book on a vitally important topic. David Cayley's thoughtful conversations give us an intellectual GPS System. No one should go on a quest for understanding the enterprise of science without it." — Ursula Franklin, author of The Real World of Technology

Editorial Reviews

"The rich array of subjects and levels of discussion makes for fascinating reading. Ideas on the Nature of Science is an intellectual treat for anyone interested in exhilarating adventures into the frontiers of the sciences."

"Illuminating. Topics range from exploring the vanishing northern cod to the Gaia theory of life on earth."

"What is really remarkable about science is its ability to create novelties. And these novelties are not just at the level of new discoveries and new theories; they involve whole new ways not only of understanding knowledge, but of getting knowledge and being a knower."

"For me, the power of the book is how editor David Cayley probes his guests, through his powerful questioning, to examine the fundamental nature of science and its role in history and modern society. I highly recommend this must read anthology of the world's leading thinkers on science Ideas on the Nature of Science edited by David Cayley. The ideas presented by the philosophers, historians, and practitioners of science will have a profound effect on how the reader views the role and nature of science in society. Indeed, the very myth of modernity, and of science as part of that concept, is called into serious question in several interviews."

"A great introduction to science and technology studies. The thinkers and topics are impressive."

"An important book on a vitally important topic. David Cayley's thoughtful conversations give us an intellectual GPS System. No one should go on a quest for understanding the enterprise of science without it."

"Cayley's entertaining, eclectic, challenging conversations unveil a rich ecology of how we think about the world and why it matters. These exhilarating adventures into the frontiers of the sciences left me with a sense of wonder, and of hope."

From the Publisher

"For me, the power of the book is how editor David Cayley probes his guests, through his powerful questioning, to examine the fundamental nature of science and its role in history and modern society. I highly recommend this must read anthology of the world's leading thinkers on science Ideas on the Nature of Science edited by David Cayley. The ideas presented by the philosophers, historians, and practitioners of science will have a profound effect on how the reader views the role and nature of science in society. Indeed, the very myth of modernity, and of science as part of that concept, is called into serious question in several interviews."

Business World

"An important book on a vitally important topic. David Cayley's thoughtful conversations give us an intellectual GPS System. No one should go on a quest for understanding the enterprise of science without it."

Ursula Franklin

"The rich array of subjects and levels of discussion makes for fascinating reading. Ideas on the Nature of Science is an intellectual treat for anyone interested in exhilarating adventures into the frontiers of the sciences."

Oceans Association

"Illuminating. Topics range from exploring the vanishing northern cod to the Gaia theory of life on earth."

The Chronicle-Herald

"What is really remarkable about science is its ability to create novelties. And these novelties are not just at the level of new discoveries and new theories; they involve whole new ways not only of understanding knowledge, but of getting knowledge and being a knower."

Max Planck Institute for the History of Science - Lorraine Daston

"Cayley's entertaining, eclectic, challenging conversations unveil a rich ecology of how we think about the world and why it matters. These exhilarating adventures into the frontiers of the sciences left me with a sense of wonder, and of hope."

David Waltner-Toews

"A great introduction to science and technology studies. The thinkers and topics are impressive."

The Anthropo.scene