Archetypes and Ancestors Palaeontology in Victorian London, 1850-1875 |
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| Author:
| Desmond, Adrian |
| ISBN: | 978-0-226-14344-6 |
| Publication Date: | Sep 1986 |
| Publisher: | University of Chicago Press
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| Book Format: | Paperback |
| List Price: | USD $32.50USD $32.50 |
Book Description:
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"The social construction of scientific knowledge, clearly one of the most exciting trends in the history of science in the 1890's, has made a solid stride forward with the publication of
Archetypes and Ancestors. . . . Adrian Desmond set out to determine how much light might be shed on the mid-Victorian controversies over fossil reconstruction by an investigation of the ideological commitments and political programs of London paleontologists. The answer is: a great deal of...
More Description"The social construction of scientific knowledge, clearly one of the most exciting trends in the history of science in the 1890's, has made a solid stride forward with the publication of Archetypes and Ancestors. . . . Adrian Desmond set out to determine how much light might be shed on the mid-Victorian controversies over fossil reconstruction by an investigation of the ideological commitments and political programs of London paleontologists. The answer is: a great deal of light. The resulting book is thoroughly fascinating."--Philip Rehbock, American Historical Review
"A sophisticated study of the colonization of scientific territory--specifically of rival attempts to design the dinosaur--and of the constructive (not just obstructive) role of social pressures in the making of 'lasting contributions' to science. Not least it is a joy to read, perkily irreverent at times and full of nice vignettes and memorable turns of phrase."--Roy Porter, Times Higher Education Supplement