
John Desmond Bernal FRS was one of the United Kingdom's most well-known and controversial scientists. Bernal is considered a pioneer in X-ray crystallography in molecular biology. He published extensively on the history of science. In addition, Bernal wrote popular books on science and society, and he was also a communist activist.
The late J. D. Bernal's lectures given to first-year students in physics at Birkbeck College, University of London, are presented here in their entirety, tracing the history of physics up to the end of the classical era at the end of 19th century, just before the discoveries of the subatom and relativity were made. In view of the prestige and profundity of the newer discoveries, Bernal felt that the classical era was being largely forgotten. In this book, he attributes a greater relevance to the work of men from the distant past than is usually given. For instance, the idea of atom not only retains the language of the Greek, Democritus, who first postulated it, but there is also an absolutely unbroken connection between the atom of the Greek and that of the modern physicist. Bernal felt that the historical method would be a suitable introduction to the fundamental concepts of physics, and it is hoped that the readers of the book will be able to see something of the interplay between the theoretical and practical aspects of the subject.
by J.D. Bernal
Rating: 3.7 ⭐
An early work expressing the outlook of the scientist who pioneered X-Ray crystallography.
J. D. Bernal's monumental work Science in History is the first full-scale attempt to analyze the relationship between science and society throughout history, from the perfection of the first flint hand ax to the construction of the hydrogen bomb. This remarkable study illustrates the impetus given to and the limitations placed upon discovery and invention by pastoral, agricultural, feudal, capitalist, and socialist systems, and conversely the ways in which science has altered economic, social, and political beliefs and practices.This first volume begins with the discussion of the particular nature and methodology of science. It then continues with a description of the emergence of science in the Stone Age, and traces its development through the full formulations of the Greeks to its development under Christendom and Islam in the Middle Ages.
J. D. Bernal's monumental work Science in History is the first full-scale attempt to analyze the relationship between science and society throughout history, from the perfection of the first flint hand ax to the construction of the hydrogen bomb. This remarkable study illustrates the impetus given to and the limitations placed upon discovery and invention by pastoral, agricultural, feudal, capitalist, and socialist systems, and conversely the ways in which science has altered economic, social, and political beliefs and practices.This second volume focuses on the period of development and the establishment of modern science. It begins with work of the Renaissance and continues with a discussion of the stimulus given to scientific develpment by emerging seventeenth-century capitalism. A final section takes up the industrial revolution and the manner in which science and technology transformed the whole nature of human society.
A History of Classical Physics; From Antiquity to the Quantum - 20th Century theories of the atom and the relativity of time and space radically altered thee landscape of physics. Yet these theories were not formulated in a vacuum, they extended the work of those who had previously made invaluable discoveries. The ancient Greek philosopher Democritus was the first to conceive of the atom, and Olaus Romer, in the seventeenth century was the first to propound the notion that light has a finite spee
J. D. Bernal's monumental work Science in History is the first full-scale attempt to analyze the relationship between science and society throughout history, from the perfection of the first flint hand ax to the construction of the hydrogen bomb. This remarkable study illustrates the impetus given to and the limitations placed upon discovery and invention by pastoral, agricultural, feudal, capitalist, and socialist systems, and conversely the ways in which science has altered economic, social, and political beliefs and practices.Volume 3 is devoted entirely to the twentieth century and the remarkable growth of scientific thought which has occurred in modern times -- from the new sciences of nuclear physics and electronics to discoveries and advances in biology and related fields.
J. D. Bernal's monumental work Science in History is the first full-scale attempt to analyze the relationship between science and society throughout history, from the perfection of the first flint hand ax to the construction of the hydrogen bomb. This remarkable study illustrates the impetus given to and the limitations placed upon discovery and invention by pastoral, agricultural, feudal, capitalist, and socialist systems, and conversely the ways in which science has altered economic, social, and political beliefs and practices. In this final volume, Professor Bernal enters the disputed field of the social sciences and provides an avowedly Marxist outline of their history and of the social and political tendencies of our times. Drawing on conclusions from history, he discusses in a final chapter the future role of science in society.
J. D. Bernal's monumental work Science in History is the first full-scale attempt to analyze the relationship between science and society throughout history, from the perfection of the first flint hand ax to the construction of the hydrogen bomb. This remarkable study illustrates the impetus given to and the limitations placed upon discovery and invention by pastoral, agricultural, feudal, capitalist, and socialist systems, and conversely the ways in which science has altered economic, social, and political beliefs and practices.
İçinde bulunduğumuz dönemin sorunları ve bunlarla bilimin ilerlemesi arasındaki zorunlu bağ, dikkatlerimizi ister istemez bilimin tarihsel ve toplumsal yönüne yoğunlaştırmamızı gerektiriyor. Bilimin bugünkü durumuna nasıl geldiğinin, birbiri ardına gelen toplum biçimlerine nasıl yanıt verdiğinin ve yeri geldiğinde o toplumların şekillenmesine nasıl bir katkı sunduğunun da bilincinde olmak gerekiyor.Çünkü, çağımız biliminde ve onun toplumsal bağlamında karanlıkta kalan ve anlaşılması güç olan ne varsa bunların kaynağı eski çağlardan günümüze gelen tutumlarda ve kurumlardadır. Bu yüzden günümüzde bilimin (ve teknolojinin) ne anlama geldiğini ve nasıl bir geleceğe sahip olduğunu kavrama doğrultusunda adım atabilmenin; bilmin (ve tekniğin) nereden gelip nereye gittiğini anlayabilmenin biricik yolu, ona tarihsel ve bütünlüklü bir pencereden bakmak; onu tarihsel ve toplumsal ilişkileri içinde irdelemek; kısacası, bilim ile toplum arasında tarih boyunca oluşagelen etkileşimleri ayrıntılarıyla incelemektir.Karşılaştığımız güçlüklerin üstesinden gelebilmek ve bilimin sunduğu yeni olanakları insanlığın yıkımı değil mutluluk ve refahı amacıyla kullanabilmek için günümüzdeki durumun nasıl ortaya çıktığını yeni bir bakış açısıyla bir kez daha incelememiz gerekiyor. Elinizdeki kitap da işte tam bunu yapıyor. Bilimin gelişimi ile insanlık tarihinin diğer cephelerinde görülen gelişmeler arasındaki karşılıklı ilişkileri ortaya koyup tanımlamaya; bilimin toplum, toplumun da bilim üzerindeki etkisinden kaynaklanan bazı temel sorunların kavranmasına yardımcı olmaya çalışıyor.
Kapitalizm, bilimle toplumsal yasantimiz arasindaki bagi kendi dunya gorusu etrafinda sekillendirir. oyle ki, gunumuzde bilim ancak burjuvazinin kir durtusunun sinirlari icerisinde gelisme imkini bulur. Bilimsel buluslar patentlenerek ticari bir metaya donusturulur. Bilim ve teknikteki gelismeler, silah sanayisinin ayrilmaz bir parcasi olarak halka yabancilasmanin en uc orneklerine ulasir. Karl Marx ve Friedrich Engels'in uzun yillar suren dostluklari ve ortak calismalari hem maddi yasami hem de toplumsal yasami kavramak ve degistirmek icin yeni bir bilimin dogusunu ifade Diyalektik materyalizm. Insanligin ve bilimin ozgurluge kavusmasi artik siniflar mucadelesine siki sikiya baglidir. Bu mucadelenin bir sonucu olarak 1917'de Rusya'da kurulan Sovyet iktidari, bilim ve toplumsal yasantinin ic ice gectigi halk icin bilimin ilk orneklerini verir.J. D. Bernal'in, Marksizm ve bilim uzerine yazilarindan olusan bu derlemede, Marx, Engels, Lenin ve Stalin'in Marksist bilimsel yonetimi ku
https://www.marxists.org/archive/bern...J. D. Bernal, M.A., the author of this pamphlet, is Assistant Director of Research in Crystallography in the University of Cambridge, his chief work being based on the use of X-ray analysis in scientific problems. His name is associated with work on the structure of metals, water hormones, vitamins and proteins. This pamphlet is based on a much shorter article written in commemoration of the fortieth anniversary of Frederick Engels' death. The author holds that Engels, the close collaborator of Karl Marx, developed methods which are essential to-day for any further advance in the understanding of science and its utilisation for human welfare. As he says, these methods have been neglected in the past, but they seem to us now in the twentieth century far more fresh and filled with understanding than those of the professional philosophers of science of his day. From this it might seem that this pamphlet would only interest those actively engaged in the different departments of science. This, however, is in no way the case for readers from all circles will find an extraordinary living interest in Mr. Bernal’s exposition of how the dialectical materialism of Engels enables new light to be cast on all the problems of the day
This monumental work was the first full scale attempt to analyse the reciprocal relations of science and society throughout history, from the perfection of the flint hand axe to the hydrogen bomb. In this remarkable study Bernal illustrates the impetus given to (and the limitations placed upon) discovery and inventions by pastoral, agricultural, feudal, capitalist and socialist systems, and conversely the ways in which science has altered economic, social, and political beliefs and practices. (Volume 1 - The Emergence of Science Volume 2 - The Scientific and Industrial Revolutions Volume 3 - The Natural Sciences in Our Time Volume 4 - The Social Conclusion)
Published in (2005), Science and Industry in the Nineteenth Century is a valuable contribution to the field of Economic History.
1967. No Edition Remarks. 345 pages. Pictorial dust jacket over blue cloth with gilt lettering. Black and white photographic plates. Very minor foxing and tanning to pages and plates. More prominent to text block edges, pastedowns and free endpapers, with light staining also visible. Book is slightly bowed and forward leaning with visible tanning and scuffing overall. Spine has heavier tanning with soft crushing to ends. Lettering remains bright and clear. Unclipped dust jacket with minor rubbing, chipping and tearing to edges. Moderate tanning and scuffing overall.
Volume 1 - The Emergence of ScienceVolume 2 - The Scientific and Industrial RevolutionsVolume 3 - The Natural Sciences in Our TimeVolume 4 - The Social Sciences & Conclusion
J. D. Bernal was a scientist who helped to pioneer the use of x-ray crystallography and was a founder of the science of molecular biology. He was also well-known as a communist and closely associated with the peace movement. Originally published in 1958, revised in 1961, this title was written, in the author's words, to bring together the dark and the bright side of the new power that science has given to the mankind. At a time when politics was dominated by the hydrogen bomb and the rocket. People, for the first time in their history, were having to contemplate the potential destruction of civilization and even of life itself. While at the same time aware of the benefits of the opening stages of a new industrial revolution.
This is the Dutch translation of "Science in History". In 2 parts.
by J.D. Bernal
1952. Second impression. 80 pages. Pictorial dust jacket over blue cloth. Pages with some foxing and tanning, particularly to endpapers and textblock edges. Binding remains firm. Boards have mild shelf wear with light rubbing and corner bumping. Some mild marking and tanning. Unclipped jacket has light edge wear with minor tears, chipping and creasing. Some tanning and foxing to all surfaces, particularly to spine.
by J.D. Bernal
by J.D. Bernal
Surveys the historical development of science and technology and the interrelations between science and society
by J.D. Bernal
Lorsqu'il écrit son essai intitulé Le Monde, la Chair et le Diable, John Desmond Bernal se fait l'un des précurseurs du mouvement transhumaniste. Anticipant sur l'évolution de l'homme futur, le philosophe imagine un schisme séparant ceux voulant transcender leur nature en conquérant l'espace et l'immortalité et ceux qui resteront sur terre pour mener une vie hédoniste. Mais devenir un transhumain n'est ce pas réaliser notre nature ? Notre tâche est alors de repenser le concept d'humanité à l'aune du progrès scientifique pour caractériser la fin de l'homme et son destin.
by J.D. Bernal