The Struggle to Understand: A History of Human Wonder and Discovery [Hardcover]

Herbert C. Corben (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1992 | ISBN-10: 0879756837 | ISBN-13: 978-0879756833

For thousands of years, our ancestors pursued the spiritual and intellectual quests of trying to understand the world that surrounds us and the world that lies within. We shall trace these ideas through their successes and failures, through brilliant developments obstinately opposed or ignored, the lucky guesses, the incorrect hypotheses strongly clung to, and the personal dangers that were the rewards of many scholars who struggled to understand them...

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Corben, a retired theoretical physicist, attempts to present the entire history of religion, superstition, and science in this one volume. Such an ambitious goal unfortunately leads to information overload at the expense of cogent analysis. Corben's version of the human quest for knowledge is long on names, dates, and places but short on reasons, meanings, and insights. Insufficient space is given to explaining why religion and science have such a peculiar history of mutual antagonism. Since much of the material in this book is taken from some of the standard reference works in science, religion, and Western history, most libraries will do well to skip this well-intentioned but superfluous treatise.
- Eric Hinsdale, Simmons Coll. Graduate Sch. of Management Lib., Boston
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 398 pages
• Publisher: Prometheus Books (January 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879756837
• ISBN-13: 978-0879756833
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,586,833 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, August 22, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Struggle to Understand: A History of Human Wonder and Discovery (Hardcover)

I thought the book was extremely interesting with an excellent thesis. Corben has written something for those who enjoy and study comparative religion and science. Some parts of the book were difficult to read. As a follow-up to the highly academic work of Sir James G Fraser's The Golden Bough, I think this work deserves the same applause. Corben is the 20th century Fraser.

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive, March 13, 2000

By 

Nick Palliser "Nick" (Edmonton) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Struggle to Understand: A History of Human Wonder and Discovery (Hardcover)

Excellent book. A very comprehensive and jammed packed book that deserves two readings. I couldn't put it down.