How We Know PB

by Inge F. Goldstein, Martin Goldstein, Robert Justin Goldstein

Book Overview

The portraits of Freud, Shakespeare, Einstein, and Leonardo da Vinci on the cover symbolize a major theme of How We Know-that the creative imagination plays a role in the sciences no less than in the arts, and that scientific discoveries have an aesthetic beauty of their own that can be enjoyed by the nonscientist. Written to be understood by readers without proper scientific training, the main features of scientific method are illustrated...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 030680140X
• ISBN13: 9780306801402
• Release Date: March 1981
• Publisher: Da Capo Press
• Length: 376 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.9" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Excellent text for those who are, want to be, or want to understand, scientists

The introductory chapters are excellent essays on science...what it is, why we use it, how it came to be. Then there are 3 outstanding case studies: Cholera, Heat, and Insanity. Each contains examples of good science, bad science, and things that are NOT science, but useful nevertheless. Finally, there are closing chapters. While there are some gems there, some of these are the weakest part of this outstanding book. In the 40ish years I have been reading about science and the societies that use it, this is one of the very best books that bear on it.

How we know, exploration of the scientific method

This book through historical cases demystifies the confused readers not trained in science. It shows the important part that intuition plays in the scientific paradigm, something the Belgian writer Georges Simenon also asserted a lot. It starts with what is Science then proceeds to facts and interesting historical cases like Vibrio cholera, heat, or the concept of madness (more related to social sciences than pure science). For hard science, you have to look at chapter 14 on logic and mathematics, chapter 15 on probability and the last chapter deals with statistics. All in all, it is an exhaustive book that could be useful reading in high schools.