Word: cohen
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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PERHAPS THE MOST intriguing aspects of Cohen's work are the impressions he renders of scientists themselves evaluating the scientific tradition. He does so in part by extracting compelling remarks from the writings of great scientists. There are also lighter anecdotes. Writes Cohen: I believe that all scientists would agree with the reply, reported by the late Paul Scars, to a colleague in the humanities who said, 'I suppose you will think I am old-fashioned, but I don't think that germs have anything to do with disease.' The response was, 'No, I don't think...
...because he introduces such a vast amalgam of material into his discussion, Cohen sometimes encounters problems. One difficulty is the occasional superficial treatment of complex historical events. To write, as Cohen does, that there was little fear of a political revolution in 19th century England is simply incorrect. A more lamentable but necessary shortcoming is the book's limited space, restricting his discussion of some interesting subjects...
...example, Cohen argues that there is a parallel between the forms of political and scientific revolutions; he notes that Newton's Principia was published only a year before the first modern revolution, England's 1688 Glorious Revolution. This concept would make an intriguing book, but Cohen's incomplete discussion of it becomes frustrating...
...more pleasant aspect of his work is the surfeit of exciting topics Cohen offers for further reading and research. And Cohen's brief discussion of revolution in literature and art, and even of the concept of failure in history, are all worthy topics for future scholars...
Revolutions in Science is a book readily comprehensible to the layman Cohen has synthesized complicated scientific concepts such as quantum theory and Cartesian metaphysics, making them not only palatable but engaging. Revolutions in Science does not offer a revolution in itself. Yet Cohen's superb scholarship, his eloquent synthesis of hundreds of year of critical thought fits Alexander Pope's perception of wit; his book contains ideas "which have often been thought but never before been so well expressed...