A Companion to the History of Science

A COMPANION TO THE HISTORY OF SCIENCE A triumph of organization, this remarkable work is the best place to start for anyone who wants to understand current debates in this rapidly changing field. James A. Secord, University of Cambridge Scholarship in the history of science is flourishing, covering more ground, with a richer variety of sources and questions, than ever before. This engaging, timely volume highlights some of the big themes that animate many studies today. Leading historians trace changing roles, places, partnerships, and techniques with which people have endeavored to make sense of the natural world. An impressive and important volume. David Kaiser, Massachusetts Institute of Technology From alchemists and academies to translations and three-dimensional models, the topics that matter most to today's historians of science are here introduced accessibly and authoritatively. An indispensable volume for newcomers and not-so-newcomers alike. Gregory Radick, University of Leeds Over the last 35 years, the study of the history of science has undergone a shift in historiographical approach. While scholars previously focused on the history of abstract scientific discoveries by key figures like Galileo and Newton, contemporary science historians are turning to focus on richer, more descriptive studies within specific and local contexts. A Companion to the History of Science captures this move away from abstract theories and into more intimate analysis of science in its cultural, political, and social contexts. It aims to survey recent developments that have resulted from the effort to re-envision the field. The volume includes 40 original essays written by experts in the field, structured around four analytical categories: roles, places and spaces, communication, and tools of science. Contributors cut across traditional chronological and geographical boundaries to provide thematic analysis of these topics, including discussion of both Western and non-Western themes throughout the volume. These critical essays synthesize the major debates and issues that dominate current scholarly discussion, and point the way for future inquiry.