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Scientific Development and Misconceptions Through the Ages A Reference Guide
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Robert E. Krebs
Book Code: GR0226
ISBN: 0-313-30226-X
ISBN-13: 978-0-313-30226-8
296 pages
Greenwood Press
Publication: 2/28/1999
List Price: $66.95 (UK Sterling Price: £37.95)
Availability: In Stock
Media Type: Hardcover
Trim Size: 6 1/8 x 9 1/4
Subjects: Reviews:
  • As Krebs...asserts, an understanding of science as well as the ability to think critically and act intelligently is crucial to the maintenance of a civilized society. He certainly contributes to the goal of making that knowledge more widely available.
    —Choice
Description: The evolution of science through the ages has often been marred by people's misconceptions. From pre-historic times, when myths played a major role in people's lives, to present-day debates concerning the environment, people have sought ways to explain the world around them and have often come up with incorrect answers. Science has grown through the correction of these misconceptions. This unique reference source can be used by students, teachers, and other interested researchers to explore this growth as it pertains to both the field of science and the process of scientific experimentation. Readers will discover how misunderstandings led to further experimentation and eventually to scientific facts. These "false paths" to scientific knowledge are not treated as deliberate misconduct, but rather as a lack of knowledge and a misunderstanding of the science and technology involved, both of which were sooner or later corrected by men and women of science. Krebs explores the conception and development of scientific thought in five different fields: Medicine and Health; Life Science; Chemistry and Physics; Astrology, Astronomy, and Cosmology; and Conservation, Ecology, and Environmentalism. Within each of these categories, he explores more specific areas, such as the circulatory system, geology, and inner planets. This arrangement provides easy access for the researcher interested in a particular area of science as well as those looking for general information, illuminating how our modern understanding of science is based on much of the developments in our ancient past.
Table of Contents:
  • Introduction
  • Types of Beliefs
  • Types of Misconceptions
  • Background
  • What Science Is
  • What Science Is Not
  • Medicine and Health
  • Introduction
  • Anatomy and Physiology
  • The Circulatory System
  • The Muscular/Skeletal and Nervous Systems
  • Diseases: Causes, Treatments, and Cures
  • Health and Preventive Medicine
  • Alternative Medicine and Modern Medical Misconceptions
  • Life Sciences
  • Introduction
  • Prehistory and Creation Myths
  • Scientific Concepts and Creation
  • Change
  • Geology
  • Time
  • Evolution
  • The Evolution of Humans
  • Chemistry and Physics
  • Ancient Development of the Uses of Fire and Tools
  • The Foundations for the Sciences of Chemistry and Physics
  • Alchemy
  • The Renaissance of Chemistry and Physics
  • The Golden Years of Chemistry and Physics
  • Paricles, Complexity, Chaos, and Uncertainty
  • Astrology, Astronomy, and Cosmology
  • Introduction
  • Definitions
  • Astronomy, the Solar System, and the Universe
  • Conservation, Ecology, and Environmentalism
  • Introduction
  • Definitions
  • Conservation
  • Ecology
  • Environmentalism
  • Other Environmental Issues
  • Index
LC Card Number: 98-5173
LCC Class: Q172
Dewey Class: 509
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