Product 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.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #344752 in Books
• Published on: 2000-03-16
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 552 pages

Review
"Like a good tour book, [this volume] takes us to all the principle locations in the realm and shows us not only what's to be found there, but also its history, its effect on history, philosophy, technology and society, and vignettes about local heroes....A comprehensive, balanced, informative and charming book....For [those] curious to know what science is really all about, this book makes very good one-stop shopping."-- The New York Times Book Review

About the Author
Former Professor of Physical Chemistry, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Israel (now deceased).

Customer Reviews

Inspirational!
The current anxiety surrounding the lack of students pursuing physics at A level and beyond could be resolved at a stroke if this wonderfully written book were to find its way into more of their homes. The author's easy style and obvious fascination with the wonders of the physical universe are nothing short of infectious.

It touches on just about everything; Big Bang theory; Quantum Mechanics; Evolution; Dark Matter and the forces that drive Climate Change are all included. It also covers the contributions made by the leading lights of great scientific discoveries such as Gallileo, Newton, Lavoisier; Kepler, Faraday and of course Einstein.

It is not however a book which is simply designed for the student. Anyone can get a great deal from it including great pleasure thanks to the bright light it brings to bear on the true mysteries of science. If there were any justice it would be a number one bestseller.

extraordinary
...this book is an amazing read. the late Brian Silver left his mark and left it well. the clear tackling of complex issues and concepts is done with extreme skill. some of the tongue-in-cheek comments got me grinning (sometimes laughing). Brian Silver must've been a brilliant person to have a chat with. i recommend this book to anyone interested in science. and no matter how much you know (or think you know) about any field, this book will have something new for you. it covers more than i ever imagined a science book to cover. then again, calling it a "science book" is an understatement. science, history, philosophy, ethics, you name it! hats off to a brilliant book by a brilliant author. Brian Silver, thank you.

Sheer brilliance!
In a field with few contenders in its class, I would not hesitate to call this gem simply the best general, all-round introduction to the whole of scientific endeavour. The late Brian Silver covers pretty much the whole of science between the covers of this book---a bold claim, but amply justified by this brilliant tome. Beautifully clearly written in simple, down-to-earth language, larded with lots of familiar examples to clarify a point, I would not hesitate to recommend this great book to anyone who wants to feel that they can 'cover the field' (well, more or less!) in one go. Magnificent.