"Preachers in pulpits talked about what a great message is in the book. No matter what you do, somebody always imputes meaning into your books." THEODOR SEUSS GEISEL also known as 'Dr. SEUSS' also known as 'The beloved Dr. SEUSS'

This section offers reviews or commentaries on classic scientific books acquired by the Mednansky Institute.  It serves educational purposes and is intended for the public at large.  Contact library@minst.org for comments or inquiries.
Next review: DARWIN of the BEAGLE by Bern Dibner, 1960.  Special thanks to the Burndy Library for donation of the book.

INDEX by date of first edition:
^GoogleBook indicates an online version of the book is available at Google Book Search

[1920] Pasteur - The History of a Mind by Emile Duclaux^GoogleBook, translated by Erwin F. Smith and Florence Hedges.  The original French version was published in 1896.

[1925] Arrowsmith by Sinclair Lewis

[1926] Microbe Hunters by Paul de Kruif

[1938] Madame Curie: A Biography by Eve Curie, translated by Vincent Sheean

[1947] On Understanding Science by James B. Conant

[1994] The Outer Reaches of Life by John Postgate

In 1946, the authorities of Yale University invited James B. Conant, the twenty third president of Harvard University, to deliver the Terry Lectures.  The subsequent outcome was a book entitled "On Understanding Science" published as a "Mentor Book" in 1951.

"On understanding Science" reveals the thoughts of an eminent scientist who placed education in the forefront of his obligations toward mankind.  By questioning how to teach science to the layman, J. Conant suggested a course in the "Tactics and Strategy of Science" through the study of "case history".  By doing so, he intended to bridge the gap between the scientist and the layman who is taught, not the methods and facts by which science has been advanced, but the resulting knowledge of scientific advancement.  In other words, his purpose was to educate for a greater degree of understanding in science by an historical approach.  Will then the layman in position of authority be contributing better to the welfare of society?  As mentioned in the preface of the 1947 first edition of the book, J. Conant was, at the time, apprehensive that an agreement for international control of atomic energy would not be reached.  By reforming the scientific education of the layman, he was inclined to hope that social progress will occur upon understanding the tactics and strategy of science.

To illustrate the principles of "Tactics and Strategy of Science", three case histories were analyzed by J. Conant.  The first one is related to Robert Boyle and his studies of the air pump which led to the quantitative relation between volume and gas pressure (Boyle's law).  With this case history one can demonstrate that new concepts evolve from experiments and emphasize that advance in experimentation, especially through new techniques, is linked to development of new concepts.  Difficulties in settling a question by experiment can be apprehended and the significance of the controlled experimentation explained.  Also, controversies are beneficial as they stimulate further experimentation.  Understanding that a theory is overthrown by a better theory and not merely by contradictory facts can be achieved.  Finally, the connection between science and the social, religious and political setting of the time is clearly illustrated by this seventeenth century case history.

The second case history from the eighteenth century focuses on the electric battery through Galvani's discoveries and Volta's invention.   It sets the example of an accidental discovery brought to the attention of a "prepared mind".  Most importantly, this case history shows that a "working hypothesis" as to the nature of a new phenomenon is not necessary for planning beautiful experiments resulting in a new concept.  The principle that new techniques and concepts lead to major scientific advances is further reiterated with this case history.   The invention of the electric battery was indeed revolutionary and brought many more discoveries at the beginning of the nineteenth century.

Two more principles can be drawn from the third case history concerning Lavoisier's work and the phenomenon of combustion.  First, it is difficult to overthrow a well-established theory, even though the theory in question (the phlogiston theory) was at the time "twisted" to reconcile the results of brilliant experiments.  In retrospection, it seemed that "minds were paralyzed", as worded by J. Conant.  Experimentation however was difficult as chemists of the eighteenth century were not ready to handle and characterize gases.  Second, to be fruitful discoveries must fit the time.  It took 150 years to accept the facts of calcination (the conversion of metals into oxides), especially the increase in weight of a metal on calcination.

As a final statement, one can say that the principles of these long-ago case histories are today applicable to some of the advances of the last fifty years, surely in the field of biology.  One should be cautious however not to consider the indispensable amassment of data as an advancement of science, and impress on the student's mind the inevitable political and social influence imposed on the scientist and his work.

Volta, A "On the electricity excited by the mere contact of conducting substances of different kinds", a letter sent to the president of the Royal Society of London in 1800.  The letter is published in "Allessandro Volta and the electric battery" by Bern Dibner, an online publication from the Burndy Library.

Antoine Laurent Lavoisier's Memoir on Combustion in General is one of the selected historical papers provided for education by Carmen Giunta, Department of Chemistry, Le Moyne College.