Comments on: Science and Technology in World History: An Introduction http://www.newtechbooks.com/technology-books/science-and-technology-in-world-history-an-introduction/ Cheapest Technology Books in the Market. Wed, 01 Sep 2010 06:15:55 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Jorge A. Gutierrez http://www.newtechbooks.com/technology-books/science-and-technology-in-world-history-an-introduction/comment-page-1/#comment-100 Jorge A. Gutierrez Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:41:01 +0000 http://www.newtechbooks.com/technology-books/science-and-technology-in-world-history-an-introduction/#comment-100 McClellan and Dorn have written a basic but very complete book on the, until recently, parallel histories of technology and science. Very clear concepts, very well documented and extremely interesting. It should be mandatory reading for engineering and science undergraduates, journalists and, why not, politicians. I read it in 3 days, and enjoyed it as much as a good novel. McClellan and Dorn have written a basic but very complete book on the, until recently, parallel histories of technology and science. Very clear concepts, very well documented and extremely interesting. It should be mandatory reading for engineering and science undergraduates, journalists and, why not, politicians. I read it in 3 days, and enjoyed it as much as a good novel.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.newtechbooks.com/technology-books/science-and-technology-in-world-history-an-introduction/comment-page-1/#comment-99 Anonymous Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:09:42 +0000 http://www.newtechbooks.com/technology-books/science-and-technology-in-world-history-an-introduction/#comment-99 i was very pleased both with the writing style as well as the informative content. i have added this book as required reading to my university course on history of ideas. this book can be read both as textbook or pleasure reading. i was very pleased both with the writing style as well as the informative content. i have added this book as required reading to my university course on history of ideas. this book can be read both as textbook or pleasure reading.

]]> By: S. Pactor http://www.newtechbooks.com/technology-books/science-and-technology-in-world-history-an-introduction/comment-page-1/#comment-98 S. Pactor Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:22:24 +0000 http://www.newtechbooks.com/technology-books/science-and-technology-in-world-history-an-introduction/#comment-98 The main thesis of this book is to show how technology and science developed largely independently of each other throughout almost all of history. Science and Technology in World Literally is quite literally an undergraduate course book. In view of the complexity of the subject matter, I found this to be a boon rather then hindrance. The authors do an amazing job summarizing complex material. <br /> <br />SciTechinWorHis (my abbreviation for the lengthy title) begins with a survey of the "pristine" civiliastions of earth: the middle east, india, china, south america, central america.. and... uh that's it. These are alll the original civilisations who started raising crops. The authors point out at that all of these civilisations were empires that built large hydraulic projects to help raise more food. Most of them also built large monuments (the pyramids in egypt). In these "prisitine" civilisations, the central government used "scientists" for calendar purposes. "Technology" was made these civilisation's possible in the first place- farming improvements and the maniuplation of water to supply large urban populations. In these pristine civilisations science was sponosored by the emperor to achieve practical ends. Technology enabled these civilisations in the first place. And so, technology precedes science. Indeed, technology is one of the things that makes us "human" whereas "science" only comes into play AFTER civilisation and "history" begin. <br /> <br />In that way, the authors make the point- right at the beginning- that technology is quite central to being human, whereas science requires some form of organization. <br /> <br />After running through Egypt, Mesopatamia, India, China, The Aztecs and the Inca, he moves into the "greek miracle" and we are off to the races. After the multi cultural preamble, the book gets locked on europe and chapter by chapter we move through greece, to rome, to the middle ages, to the scientific revolution. Two hundred pages and nine chapters in, this book settles into chapters consisting of mini bios: Copernicus, Galileo, Newton. Then with the advent of the industrial revolution, they march through the "modern" period. Throughout the writing is crisp, and as a non-science type, I found this book quite useful as a survey and introduction to the subject. <br /> <br /> The main thesis of this book is to show how technology and science developed largely independently of each other throughout almost all of history. Science and Technology in World Literally is quite literally an undergraduate course book. In view of the complexity of the subject matter, I found this to be a boon rather then hindrance. The authors do an amazing job summarizing complex material.

SciTechinWorHis (my abbreviation for the lengthy title) begins with a survey of the “pristine” civiliastions of earth: the middle east, india, china, south america, central america.. and… uh that’s it. These are alll the original civilisations who started raising crops. The authors point out at that all of these civilisations were empires that built large hydraulic projects to help raise more food. Most of them also built large monuments (the pyramids in egypt). In these “prisitine” civilisations, the central government used “scientists” for calendar purposes. “Technology” was made these civilisation’s possible in the first place- farming improvements and the maniuplation of water to supply large urban populations. In these pristine civilisations science was sponosored by the emperor to achieve practical ends. Technology enabled these civilisations in the first place. And so, technology precedes science. Indeed, technology is one of the things that makes us “human” whereas “science” only comes into play AFTER civilisation and “history” begin.

In that way, the authors make the point- right at the beginning- that technology is quite central to being human, whereas science requires some form of organization.

After running through Egypt, Mesopatamia, India, China, The Aztecs and the Inca, he moves into the “greek miracle” and we are off to the races. After the multi cultural preamble, the book gets locked on europe and chapter by chapter we move through greece, to rome, to the middle ages, to the scientific revolution. Two hundred pages and nine chapters in, this book settles into chapters consisting of mini bios: Copernicus, Galileo, Newton. Then with the advent of the industrial revolution, they march through the “modern” period. Throughout the writing is crisp, and as a non-science type, I found this book quite useful as a survey and introduction to the subject.

]]> By: E. Peterson http://www.newtechbooks.com/technology-books/science-and-technology-in-world-history-an-introduction/comment-page-1/#comment-97 E. Peterson Thu, 22 Oct 2009 06:24:32 +0000 http://www.newtechbooks.com/technology-books/science-and-technology-in-world-history-an-introduction/#comment-97 This is a great introduction for an undergraduate level class on the history of sci/tech/med. However, as other reviewers have pointed out, there are some rough patches as the work nears the 20th century. Even though some glossing is necessary in a massive overview, I was particularly disturbed by the boilerplate explanation of mid-19th c. Darwinism without much reflection on the German, French, and English precursors (Lamarck is the exception, of course) and oversimplifying the impact on the religious community (who generally accepted "evolution" while rejecting "natural selection"). For an undergraduate course, I recommend supplementing these segments of the book with R. Richards Romantic Conception of Life or The Meaning of Evolution and/or P. Bowler's The Non-Darwinian Revolution. For upper level courses or tutorials, I would relegate this work to "recommended overview." <br /> <br />All that being said, I was impressed with the broad geographic scope and McClellan's ability to account for the vast majority of the ancient, medieval, and early modern material in an interesting and nuanced fashion. This is a great introduction for an undergraduate level class on the history of sci/tech/med. However, as other reviewers have pointed out, there are some rough patches as the work nears the 20th century. Even though some glossing is necessary in a massive overview, I was particularly disturbed by the boilerplate explanation of mid-19th c. Darwinism without much reflection on the German, French, and English precursors (Lamarck is the exception, of course) and oversimplifying the impact on the religious community (who generally accepted “evolution” while rejecting “natural selection”). For an undergraduate course, I recommend supplementing these segments of the book with R. Richards Romantic Conception of Life or The Meaning of Evolution and/or P. Bowler’s The Non-Darwinian Revolution. For upper level courses or tutorials, I would relegate this work to “recommended overview.”

All that being said, I was impressed with the broad geographic scope and McClellan’s ability to account for the vast majority of the ancient, medieval, and early modern material in an interesting and nuanced fashion.

]]> By: S. Pinkava http://www.newtechbooks.com/technology-books/science-and-technology-in-world-history-an-introduction/comment-page-1/#comment-96 S. Pinkava Thu, 22 Oct 2009 04:53:54 +0000 http://www.newtechbooks.com/technology-books/science-and-technology-in-world-history-an-introduction/#comment-96 This is an awesome book. It portrays a very well organized anrrative of science in history. I do not even major in history yet I kept the book. Awesome. This is an awesome book. It portrays a very well organized anrrative of science in history. I do not even major in history yet I kept the book. Awesome.

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