Beyond Velikovsky: The History of a Public Controversy [Paperback]

Henry H. Bauer (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0252068459 | ISBN-13: 978-0252068454 | Publication Date: August 3, 1999 | Edition: 1

Since the appearance in 1950 of Worlds in Collision, Immanuel Velikovsky's radical theories of planetary physics have been the center of controversy. "Beyond Velikovky" presents a detailed analysis of the entire Velikovsky affair, conclusively resolves the major misunderstandings and primary arguments between opposing camps, and leads us beyond to a more complete understanding of the scientific process itself.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Detailed, thought provoking, and the best yet written on a bizarre episode that continues to smoulder in the annals of science."-Owen Gingerich, Nature "This fair minded and lucid study pinpoints the errors in Velikovsky's theories that other critics have failed to address."-Sci Tech Book News "An exceptional study of the theories and criticisms of Immanuel Velikovsky... A thoroughly scholarly and fair-minded work that should serve as an example to others concerned with anomaly controversies. Highly recommended."- Zetetic Scholar "[A] lucid book on an important topic, and one that provides much food for thought on the workings of the scientific community and the way in which its members respond to attacks on their beliefs by outside groups." - Robert W. Smith, Isis ADVANCE PRAISE "A very valuable contribution to the literature on a major controversy of great psychological and sociological importance."-Robert Jastrow, former director, NASA Institute for Space Studies "Bauer's remarkable book will be viewed, even by the Velikovskians, as a great improvement over previous critical studies."-Marcello Truzzi, former director, Center for Scientific Anomalies Research

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: University of Illinois Press; 1 edition (August 3, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0252068459
• ISBN-13: 978-0252068454
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #754,524 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A Piece of the Picture- Narrow and Misleading, January 14, 2003

By 

Nevermore (Somerset, United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beyond Velikovsky: The History of a Public Controversy (Hardcover)

Part 1 of Mr Bauer's book- 'The Story of the Velikovsky Affair'- is presented and reads like a fair summary of the whole controversy. On the face there presides reason, fairness; the impartiality of a judge's summary. But the unwary reader is not prepared for the true motives of this book, the subtle but quite blatant intention of the author to deliver not a judge's deliberation but a prosecutor's summing up.....
Part 2 is called, 'Velikovsky, Right or Wrong?', throughout which the reader is presented more than once with an awkward feeling; an awkward question- 'Is this book REALLY fair... or could I be the victim of some barrister's rhetoric?' It becomes increasingly clear that this book is an ATTACK upon it's subject disguised as an even-handed and fair account, which leads to the book's negative conclusion about Velikovsky.
To see Bauer's true position- not the moderator but the persecutor- there's no need to delve within the specifics. The gift of this book to the fair minded reader is that, really, it's all so plain.
Just stand back and observe, for instance, that NO analysis is made of ANY of V's historical work in any way and already it is clear. References to V's science are only in the form of selective criticisms, and these deliberately limited to the broadest and most speculatory of V's theories. To say as well that these references are ALL that Bauer uses to successfully brand V a 'pseudo-scientist' and we are left with a work of the most simple character. No space is devoted to V's scientific application of history or the areas in orthodox science (carbon dating, archaeology, astronomy) which undoubtedly bare out his theories- as well as those that don't. Although the positive aspects of V's work are never denied by Bauer, he consistently underplays these while referring in detail to the negative. In overview we see the prosecutor exposed. He has to tread between the lines and limit his case to that which is easily muddied and confused.
Beyond Velikovsky is weighted; it is unfair and biased. NO discussion is held on any of V's actual theories- only a pedantic and misleading analysis of SOME of his scientific references and approaches.
Bauer deals with such a narrow spectrum of V's work that the book itself suffers from bad structure- the first two parts concluded and the main conclusions reached before it is half through. The reader is left only to peruse a series of space filling chapters in part 3- 'Beyond the Velikovsky Affair'- with such offerings as 'Motives for Believing' and 'Means of Persuasion' and 'Realities About Science'.
Thus, by showing us a corner of the picture; a piece of the puzzle, Bauer reveals to us the smallness and the entirety of his ambitions. This book could never have been conceived as a fair, impartial analysis. The book I read was a pedantic, narrow and deceptive piece of scholarship.