The Firmament of Time
A Library of America eBook Classic
Nonfiction, Science & Nature, Science, Other Sciences, Philosophy & Social Aspects
| Author: | Loren Eiseley | ISBN: | 9781598535440 |
| Publisher: | Library of America | Publication: | November 15, 2016 |
| Imprint: | Library of America | Language: | English |
| Author: | Loren Eiseley |
| ISBN: | 9781598535440 |
| Publisher: | Library of America |
| Publication: | November 15, 2016 |
| Imprint: | Library of America |
| Language: | English |
In The Firmament of Time––nominated for a National Book Award––Loren Eiseleyoffers a series of brilliant, provocative excursions through the history of science. A paleontologist with the soul and skill of a poet, he reflects on the many ways in which the quest for knowledge has been shaped by the changing cultures in which it emerged and developed. Examining the role of metaphor in scientific thought, anticipations of scientific discoveries in the works of poets and novelists, and the “unconscious conformity” of scientific theory to prevailing orthodoxies, he argues for the ongoing relevance of dreams, the imagination, and the irrational to scientific progress.
In The Firmament of Time––nominated for a National Book Award––Loren Eiseleyoffers a series of brilliant, provocative excursions through the history of science. A paleontologist with the soul and skill of a poet, he reflects on the many ways in which the quest for knowledge has been shaped by the changing cultures in which it emerged and developed. Examining the role of metaphor in scientific thought, anticipations of scientific discoveries in the works of poets and novelists, and the “unconscious conformity” of scientific theory to prevailing orthodoxies, he argues for the ongoing relevance of dreams, the imagination, and the irrational to scientific progress.
