Rodrigo Fernós

From Galileo to Boltzmann: a history of the fragility and resilience of science

VirtualBookworm, 2016, 401 pp.

ISBN 978-1-62137-822-8

PREFACE

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

PART I: SEEDLINGS

WHAT IS SCIENCE? 

CIVILIZATION, PRECURSOR TO SCIENCE 

UNIVERSALS AND THE PROBLEM OF CHANGE

PART II: INTERMEDIARIES

IS THERE PROGRESS IN SCIENCE?

IS THERE A ‘CLASH OF CIVILIZATIONS’? 

AL-HAZEN AND THE TRAGEDY OF ARABIC SCIENCE 

THE ROLE OF MAGIC IN SCIENTIFIC ADVANCEMENT 

PART III: REVOLUTION 

INGRATE REVOLUTIONARY 

THE FIRST LAWS 

PRINCE OF MOTION 

THE RISE OF MECHANICAL PHILOSOPHY

PART IV: ADOLESCENCE

THE HEGEMONY OF THE NEWTONIAN PARADIGM 

THE BIRTH OF COAL AND THE DEATH OF NATURE 

BIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE OF MILLENNIAL CHANGE 

ON THE ABUSE OF INSTITUTIONAL POWER 

PART V: REBIRTH 

USING CONTRADICTIONS IN THE RIGHT WAY

THE IRRATIONALITY OF THE VERY SMALL 

THE ILLUSION OF SCIENTIFIC AUTONOMY 

CHANGE OF SCALE, CHANGE IN CULTURE

THE FRAGILITY AND RESILIENCE OF SCIENCE