Kategoria BISAC: Science >> Reference

Did you know that you are more closely related to a mushroom than to a daisy? That crocodiles are closer to birds than to lizards? That dinosaurs are still among us? That the terms "fish," "reptiles," and "invertebrates" do not indicate scientific groupings? All this is the result of major changes in classification, whose methods have been totally revisited over the last thirty years.

Modern classification, based on phylogeny, no longer places humans at the center of nature. Groups of organisms are no longer defined by their general appearance, but by their different individual...

Conventional wisdom has it that the sciences, properly pursued, constitute a pure, value-free method of obtaining knowledge about the natural world. In light of the social and normative dimensions of many scientific debates, Helen Longino finds that general accounts of scientific methodology cannot support this common belief. Focusing on the notion of evidence, the author argues that a methodology powerful enough to account for theories of any scope and depth is incapable of ruling out the influence of social and cultural values in the very structuring of knowledge. The objectivity of...

With the emergence of -cultural studies- and the blurring of once-clear academic boundaries, scholars are turning to subjects far outside their traditional disciplines and areas of expertise. In Higher Superstition scientists Paul Gross and Norman Levitt raise serious questions about the growing criticism of science by humanists and social scientists on the -academic left.- This paperback edition of Higher Superstition includes a new afterword by the authors.

The eagerly awaited third edition of this important resource provides a listing of over 3,600 scientific and technical handbooks in the hard sciences with over 650 new to this edition. All entries have complete bibliographic citations and most offer brief annotations that describe the content. Serving as both a research and collection development tool, "Handbooks and Tables in Science and Technology," was created for users in science and engineering libraries, special and academic libraries, and public libraries with large sci-tech collections.

From a flat universe full of dark energy to a lab full of stem cells, it's hard keeping up with the huge, kinetic world of science and technology. This unique volume offers a sweeping tour of the field for inquisitive audiences. The 2001 edition is a news digest, a concise encyclopedia, and an up-to-date statistical handbook all in one--a compelling introduction for the curious, a sharp summary for the expert, and a thorough reference for anyone interested in science and technology.

This completely updated edition brings together the news, people, and statistics of the year's most...