Science, Myth Or Magic?: A Struggle for Existence

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Allen & Unwin, 2000 - 210 páginas
This work attempts to define what is science and, more importantly, what is not science. Tony Barnett faces superstition, magic and charlatanry, political platforms masquerading as scientifically-based programmes and pseudobiology, and gives rational responses to them based on authentic science. He shows how scientific methods can be applied to specific everyday problems and scientifically scrutinizes a number of popular but erroneous beliefs, from the repellent to the absurd.

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Índice

STRUGGLE
33
Intermezzo on Instinct
63
Genes and Clones
71
Human Destiny
82
THE IMAGE AND THE REAL
107
EXISTENCE
119
A Bridge Passage
135
Science and Sums
141
Fire From Heaven
160
The Times to Come
178
Glossary
188
Bibliography
198
Index
204
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Passagens conhecidas

Página 8 - And posts, like the commandment of a king, Sans check, to good and bad : But when the planets In evil mixture, to disorder wander, What plagues, and what portents ! what mutiny ! What raging of the sea ! shaking of earth ! Commotion in the winds ! frights, changes, horrors Divert and crack, rend and deracinate The unity and married calm of states Quite from their fixture...
Página 39 - In the distant future I see open fields for far more important researches. Psychology will be based on a new foundation, that of the necessary acquirement of each mental power and capacity by gradation. Light will be thrown on the origin of man and his history.
Página 72 - Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit ; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.
Página 3 - ... we make guilty of our disasters the sun, the moon, and the stars; as if we were villains on necessity; fools by heavenly compulsion; knaves, thieves, and treachers by spherical pre-dominance; drunkards, liars, and adulterers by an enforc'd obedience of planetary influence; and all that we are evil in, by a divine thrusting on.
Página 82 - I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill ; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
Página 181 - But when his own great work is but begun, What Reason weaves, by Passion is undone. Trace Science, then, with Modesty thy guide ; First strip off all her equipage of Pride ; Deduct what is but Vanity or dress, Or Learning's luxury, or Idleness ; Or tricks to show the stretch of human brain, Mere curious pleasure, or ingenious pain ; Expunge the whole, or lop th...
Página 10 - Atheism leaves a man to sense, to philosophy, to natural piety, to laws, to reputation; all which may be guides to an outward moral virtue, though religion were not: but superstition dismounts all these, and erecteth an absolute monarchy in the minds of men.
Página 121 - Do not all charms fly At the mere touch of cold philosophy ? There was an awful rainbow once in heaven : We know her woof, her texture ; she is given In the dull catalogue of common things. Philosophy will clip an Angel's wings, Conquer all mysteries by rule and line, Empty the haunted air and gnomed mine — Unweave a rainbow, as it erewhile made The tender-person'd Lamia melt into a shade.

Acerca do autor (2000)

S. Anthony Barnett is internationally known for his research on stress and exploratory behavior, as well as for his insistence on logical and scientific vigor in biological debate.

Informação bibliográfica