Encyclopedia of the Scientific Revolution: From Copernicus to Newton [Paperback]

Wilbur Applebaum (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0415988462 | ISBN-13: 978-0415988469 | Publication Date: June 15, 2000 | Edition: 1

With unprecedented current coverage of the profound changes in the nature and practice of science in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Europe, this comprehensive reference work addresses the individuals, ideas, and institutions that defined culture in the age when the modern perception of nature, of the universe, and of our place in it is said to have emerged.

Covering the historiography of the period, discussions of the Scientific Revolution's impact on its contemporaneous disciplines, and in-depth analyses of the importance of historical context to major developments in the sciences, The Encyclopedia of the Scientific Revolution is an indispensible resource for students and researchers in the history and philosophy of science. 

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Filling a hole in reference collections on the history of science, this tome brings together a great collection of articles on the progress of scientific discovery in the 16th and 17th centuries. The text, which considers the social and philosophical climate of the period as well as the science itself, is equally good at covering the concrete (such as institutions, people, and instrumentation) and the abstract (such as theories, schools of thought, and controversies). The 437 entries vary in length from just half a page to five pages, and each has a short bibliography directing the reader to recent articles and monographs as well as primary sources. Access to the entries is aided by a 60-page index, a detailed chronology, a topical/taxonomic outline of entries, and cross references. Just under 40 percent of the articles cite a work by the contributor, demonstrating that Applebaum (emeritus, history of science, Illinois Univ. of Technology) was skilled at selecting accomplished scholars from around the globe (though primarily from Europe and North America). Written at a level accessible to the educated lay reader, this work will find a welcome home in academic libraries and public libraries with larger science collections.DWade M. Lee, Univ. of Toledo, OH
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Imagine a spherical, finite, geocentric, and matter-filled universe where the teachings of Aristotle and the church are supreme. Now, imagine a universe that is infinite, heliocentric, and that possesses large and small vacuous spaces and where "experiment, precise observation, and mathematics were employed to challenge ancient, long-held scientific principles and to create new ones." What would cause such a change in worldviews? This new resource chronicles the extraordinary changes in "natural philosophy" from the beginning of the sixteenth century to the end of the seventeenth century, the phenomenon known as the scientific revolution. Coverage is broader than in a traditional science encyclopedia, encompassing the political, religious, social, and technological factors bearing on developments in science. Scholarly without being obtuse, the 441 entries by a broad representation of international experts are signed and include short bibliographies. The choice of topics reflects recent studies in the history of science. Examples include both the positive and negative impact of the Jesuits on the scientific revolution, biographical pieces on individuals such as Jakob Bernoulli and Isaac Newton, and discussions on topics like Agriculture and Aristotelianism . A broad topical outline, chronology, and index are included. Some of the information contained in this source would be available in Gale's World of Scientific Discovery (1994) or Scribner's Dictionary of Scientific Biography (1990) and Encyclopedia of the Renaissance [RBB Ja 1 & 15 00]. Encyclopedia of the Scientific Revolution is specific to one time period and may provide an insight into the developments and discoveries that form the basis for modern science. Recommended for larger public and academic science reference collections. RBB
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 800 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (June 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415988462
• ISBN-13: 978-0415988469
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 7 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,240,372 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Scientists without calculus, September 21, 2004

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W Boudville (Terra, Sol 3) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Encyclopedia of the Scientific Revolution: From Copernicus to Newton (Garland Reference Library of the Humanities) (Hardcover)

A weighty and useful summary of the dawn of the scientific era. Applebaum surveys several hundred scientists. He ends with Isaac Newton, the co-inventor of calculus and who ranks with Einstein as one of the greatest scientists of all time.

Applebaum's choice of Newton as the endpoint of his book is instructive. Because calculus is a dividing line. Once you have this as a tool, the physical sciences and engineering become quantitative subjects. Calculus leads to a fundamental change in a worldview. Thus, the subjects of this book, who predate calculus, were by our standards, working virtually blind. Yet, Applebaum shows that they were able to gain insights into nature, and move on. In doing so, they laid the ground for Newton and the rest of us.