A Tale of Seven Scientists and a New Philosophy of Science

Zusatztext Many parts of the book remain thought-provoking, and will likely be of great interest If this book prompts the reader to dig back into old journals and read some fascinating forgotten pioneers of science, it will have served an admirable purpose. Informationen zum Autor Eric Scerri is a leading philosopher of science specializing in the history and philosophy of chemistry and especially the periodic table. He has been teaching chemistry as well as history and philosophy of science and conducting research at UCLA for the past sixteen years. Scerri is the author of the bestselling The Periodic Table, Its Story and Its Significance (2007), A Very Short Introduction to the Periodic Table (2011) and A Tale of Seven Elements (2013). Klappentext Scerri discusses several less-recognized scientists who worked throughout the twentieth century, and shows how their contributions were just as key to scientific development as those of more commonly known figures. These include Anton van den Broek, who helped pioneer the atomic number, and Edward Stoner, who was the first to apply the third quantum number to the understanding the physics of the atom. Zusammenfassung In his latest book, Eric Scerri presents a completely original account of the nature of scientific progress. It consists of a holistic and unified approach in which science is seen as a living and evolving single organism. Instead of scientific revolutions featuring exceptionally gifted individuals, Scerri argues that the 'little people' contribute as much as the 'heroes' of science. To do this he examines seven case studies of virtually unknown chemists and physicists in the early 20th century quest to discover the structure of the atom. They include the amateur scientist Anton van den Broek who pioneered the notion of atomic number as well as Edmund Stoner a then physics graduate student who provided the seed for Pauli's Exclusion Principle. Another case is the physicist John Nicholson who is virtually unknown and yet was the first to propose the notion of quantization of angular momentum that was soon put to good use by Niels Bohr.Instead of focusing on the logic and rationality of science, Scerri elevates the role of trial and error and multiple discovery and moves beyond the notion of scientific developments being right or wrong. While criticizing Thomas Kuhn's notion of scientific revolutions he agrees with Kuhn that science is not drawn towards an external truth but is rather driven from within. The book will enliven the long-standing debate on the nature of science, which has increasingly shied away from the big question of "what is science?" Inhaltsverzeichnis Chapter 1 Introduction. Intermediate historical figures and how can 'wrong theories' lead to scientific progress? Chapter 2 The intriguing case of John Nicholson Chapter 3 Van den Broek and atomic number Chapter 4 Abegg, an early pioneer of chemical bonding Chapter 5 Bury, and his detailed electronic structures Chapter 6 Main Smith the chemist who anticipated Stoner Chapter 7 Edmund Stoner, pioneer of the 3rd quantum number Chapter 8 Janet, inventor of the left-step periodic table Chapter 9 Drawing Things Together Notes Index ...

Autorentext
Eric Scerri is a leading philosopher of science specializing in the history and philosophy of chemistry and especially the periodic table. He has been teaching chemistry as well as history and philosophy of science and conducting research at UCLA for the past sixteen years. Scerri is the author of the bestselling The Periodic Table, Its Story and Its Significance (2007), A Very Short Introduction to the Periodic Table (2011) and A Tale of Seven Elements (2013).

Klappentext
Scerri discusses several less-recognized scientists who worked throughout the twentieth century, and shows how their contributions were just as key to scientific development as those of more commonly known figures. These include Anton van den Broek, who helped pioneer the atomic number, and Edward Stoner, who was the first to apply the third quantum number to the understanding the physics of the atom.

Zusammenfassung
In his latest book, Eric Scerri presents a completely original account of the nature of scientific progress. It consists of a holistic and unified approach in which science is seen as a living and evolving single organism. Instead of scientific revolutions featuring exceptionally gifted individuals, Scerri argues that the 'little people' contribute as much as the 'heroes' of science. To do this he examines seven case studies of virtually unknown chemists and physicists in the early 20th century quest to discover the structure of the atom. They include the amateur scientist Anton van den Broek who pioneered the notion of atomic number as well as Edmund Stoner a then physics graduate student who provided the seed for Pauli's Exclusion Principle. Another case is the physicist John Nicholson who is virtually unknown and yet was the first to propose the notion of quantization of angular momentum that was soon put to good use by Niels Bohr. Instead of focusing on the logic and rationality of science, Scerri elevates the role of trial and error and multiple discovery and moves beyond the notion of scientific developments being right or wrong. While criticizing Thomas Kuhn's notion of scientific revolutions he agrees with Kuhn that science is not drawn towards an external truth but is rather driven from within. The book will enliven the long-standing debate on the nature of science, which has increasingly shied away from the big question of "what is science?"

Inhalt
Chapter 1 Introduction. Intermediate historical figures and how can 'wrong theories' lead to scientific progress?
Chapter 2 The intriguing case of John Nicholson
Chapter 3 Van den Broek and atomic number
Chapter 4 Abegg, an early pioneer of chemical bonding
Chapter 5 Bury, and his detailed electronic structures
Chapter 6 Main Smith the chemist who anticipated Stoner
Chapter 7 Edmund Stoner, pioneer of the 3rd quantum number
Chapter 8 Janet, inventor of the left-step periodic table
Chapter 9 Drawing Things Together
Notes
Index

#	Onlineshop	Preis CHF	Versand CHF	Total CHF
1	Seller	0.00	0.00	0.00