Routledge Library Editions: 20th Century Science – serie

Reissuing works originally published between 1921 and 1988, Routledge Library Editions: 20th Century Science (20 volume set) offers a selection of scholarship covering historical developments in scientific thinking. Volumes range from Einstein's theories to quantum theory and genetics making this a comprehensive collection of previously out-of-print works. Many of the works review scientific advances in general or science and philosophy at the time; a great insight into the intellectual world of the 20th Century.

Science in the Changing World, first published in 1933, contains a series of broadcasted presentations on the relationship between science and the development of European civilisation in the first half of the 20th century. Specifically, each talk attempts to reflect the crisis through which the world seemed to be passing at the time, and to make an analysis of those forces of transformation in science, art, economics, and social life which were associated most closely with the advent of the ‘scientific’ century. Included among the presenters are such eminent and diverse thinkers as Julian Huxley, Bertrand Russell and Hilaire Belloc. Science at Your Service: First published in 1945, this collection of twelve BBC broadcasts focuses on the influence of science in everyday life, and demonstrates that not all science is remote and theoretical. Each speaker deals with some aspect of mid-20th century scientific advance as it related to subjects of practical importance, from textiles and tunnels to fishing and ship design. Offering a glimpse into the attitudes towards science current in the middle of the Second World War, this brief and accessible collection will be of interest to cultural historians as well as to the general science enthusiast.

This book describes the picture of reality given by Newton, and the development of the later picture of reality given by field theory. In telling this story, the author explains what problem each scientist faced, and how the process of solving them led to new discoveries. By this method he gives unique insight into the understanding of Einstein’s special theory of relativity, as he explains exactly what problems led to the invention of the theory, and exactly where Einstein’s solution differed from his predecessors’. A similar analysis is given of the discoveries of Faraday, Maxwell, Hertz and Lorentz. The problem-oriented approach of the book, originally published in 1974, enables the reader to share in the original creative process, and in the excitement of the discoveries. It puts physics problems into new perspective and discusses the philosophical implications of the history - an illuminating account of a great episode in the history of thought.

In this collection of informal reminiscences, first published in 1975, Max Born has written an extraordinarily vivid account of his life and work, originally intended for his family.Ranging from his time at the University of Göttingen, where Born had his first real motivation for a professional career in science, to the period in Berlin as professor extraordinary, when he and his wife became close friends of Einstein, these anecdotes and memories chart the "heroic age of physics" from the perspective of one of its leading characters. In 1954 Born was awarded the Nobel Prize in physics for his fundamental contributions to the great discovery of that cadre of superlative scientific minds – quantum theory.But his scientific research provides only one strand of this story. Born’s varied interests outside science led to many interesting experiences – some of historical importance insofar as they offer a glimpse into German society before and between the wars.

The Progress of Science, first published in 1934, was originally intended to help the interested reader develop their understanding of the natural sciences as they stood in the period leading up to the Second World War. This intention was predicated on the belief that the spirit of science can only have a positive influence on human society, and that when enough people are sufficiently scientifically-minded the problems of civilisation will be resolved through the steady application of scientific principles.Covering the full range of the distinct disciplines– physics, chemistry, biology – this collection offers a fascinating window into the attitudes towards science at a time when the full extent of its potentially catastrophic potential was about to be realised across the world.

The Special Theory of Relativity:Based on a short course of lectures delivered in the late 1930s, this short book presents the theory of Special Relativity by formulating a redefinition of the measurement of length, and thus will appeal to students of physics who wish to think through Einstein’s thought without the encumbrance of quasi-scientific concepts and language.Relativity: A Very Elementary Exposition:This brief lecture, delivered in October 1921 and published for the first time in 1925, offers an explanation of Einstein’s theory of Special Relativity for the non-scientist, giving a general overview that does justice both to the actual physics involved, and the wider implications of this revolutionary discovery of the 20th century.

First published in 1951 to coincide with the British Festival, this book explores the developments in science which had occurred since the Great Exhibition of 1851. Covering the full range of scientific development which had emerged in that time – from fundamental physics to evolution and genetics, and from geology to medical surgery – this accessible collection of essays charts with impressive comprehension and clarity the momentous changes which had occurred in the pursuit of science since the mid-nineteenth century, and ably demonstrates the appropriateness of citing the twentieth century as the advent of the scientific age. A Century of Science will appeal to those interested in the history of science, those wishing to ground their knowledge of specific scientific disciplines in a broader understanding of the subject, and also to the general reader who values scientific progress and the questions it continues to raise.

Containing the proceedings of the symposium held by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Niels Bohr, this collection was first published in 1988. More than any other individual, Bohr was responsible for the development of quantum mechanics and for many of its applications in the pursuit of fundamental understanding of physical reality. In addition to his unique role in the discovery and elucidation of quantum theory, Bohr led the study of the fission of nuclei and was greatly concerned with the impact of the existence of the atomic bomb in the post-World War II era. This unique volume provides a panoramic view of modern physics, some of the philosophical issues associated with quantum theory, the impact of this momentous scientific development on the political circumstance of the Cold War Era and the qualities of a superlative scientist.

Into the short compass of this book Professor Graetz has succeeded in compressing an eminently readable survey of the directions in which the atomic theory, as accepted in the nineteenth century, has been extended by the remarkable and almost revolutionary physical investigations and discoveries of the two decades preceding the book’s original publication in 1923.

This book offers an overview of a huge range of scientific achievements in the 20th century, specifically in the field of applied science. The majority of the essays originally appeared in papers and journals such as the Daily Worker, New Statesman and Nation, Science and Society and Nature. Insofar as one theme runs through them, it is the application of scientific knowledge for the benefit of human society. The author is unashamed to present his perspective on some of the topics discussed in the context of his commitment to Marxism. This collection of essays, first published in 1947, thus offers an intriguing glimpse of mid-20th century attitudes towards science, and specifically to the possibilities of a scientific approach to the full spectrum of human endeavour as they were perceived in the aftermath of the Second World War, at a time when the Soviet Union and its creed still seemed ascendant.

In the endless debate about the Two Cultures no book until this attempted to provide a selection of scientific writing on specific themes to stimulate students of arts subjects into discussion and writing about the nature of science and its relationship with the rest of life. This book is based on a selection of prose passages written by scientists about science, supplemented by notes and a brief linking commentary. Originally published in 1965, the passages were chosen to illustrate or comment on different aspects of eleven main themes, ranging from surveys of changing ideas on the nature of the universe and the material of which it was made, to evolution past and future and the relation of science with religion and art. Most of the extracts were from contemporary authors, but there are passages by Aristotle, Bacon, Boyle, Hooke, Newton, Dalton, Faraday and Darwin.At the end of the book there are suggestions for discussion to accompany each chapter, to encourage the study of the use of language in consideration of the nature, history and role of science.

First published in 1936, this volume contains six of the Halley Stewart Lectures – originally founded "For Research towards the Christian Ideal in All Social Life" – by some of the greatest of English scientists of the mid-20th century, each a leading authority in his respective field: cosmology, physics, meteorology, medicine and genetics. The final lecture considers the relationship between scientific knowledge and human ideals, commenting on the paradox that a century which produced such scientific advance also witnessed the most concentrated period of social, economic and political turmoil in world history.

This book, first published 1931, examines the attitudes surrounding the natural sciences at the time of writing, and contends that an unreflective belief in the power of science, and especially in humanity’s capacity to turn such knowledge to noble ends, could lead to catastrophic results for human civilisation. Commenting on the forced industrialisation in Russia, India and China that was proceeding with little regard for human life at the time, the unsustainable inequality generated by modern Western capitalism and many other related issues, the author argues that it is necessary to devote the same energy to the resolution of social problems as to scientific research and development. His thesis, though expounded with reference to concrete situation different from our own, is nonetheless as relevant today as it was when first published.

First published in1966, here is presented a comprehensive overview of one of the most elusive scientific speculations by the pre-eminent genius of the 20th century. The theory is viewed by some scientists with deep suspicion, by others with optimism, but all agree that it represents an extreme challenge. As the author herself affirms, this work is not intended to be a complete treatise or ‘didactic exposition’ of the theory of unified fields, but rather a tool for further study, both by students and professional physicists. Dealing with all the major areas of research which together comprise the development of a working model, the author ranges over conservation equations, variational principles, solutions of spherical symmetry, and treats a wide selection of Einstein’s own equations. The final chapter indicates problems associated with the unified field theory, in particular the energy-momentum tensor and geodesics.

This volume, first published in 1921, presents a series of portraits of Einstein, thus offering glimpses in the character and private reflections of the man who changed the course of modern science. Intended neither as a biography, nor as a résumé of Einsteinian physics, Einstein: The Searcher instead focusses on Einstein’s relationship with the scientific project as he himself conceived it, and so is still of contemporary significance for those puzzled by the spirit of scientific enquiry.

Published in 1934, this monograph was one of the first introductory accounts of the principles which form the physical basis of the Quantum Theory, considered as a branch of mathematics. The exposition is restricted to a discussion of general principles and does not attempt detailed application to the wide domain of atomic physics, although a number of special problems are considered in elucidation of the principles. The necessary fundamental mathematical methods – the theory of linear operators and of matrics – are developed in the first chapter so this could introduce anyone to the new theory. This is an interesting snapshot of scientific history.

This is the first of three volumes which together contain the complete range of Lord Rutherford’s scientific papers, incorporating in addition addresses, general lectures, letters to editors, accounts of his scientific work and personal recollections by friends and colleagues. Volume one, first published in 1962, includes early papers written in New Zealand, at the Cavendish Laboratory and during the Montreal period (1894-1906), as well as an introduction to Rutherford’s early work by Sir Edward Appleton, and some reminiscences of his time in Canada by Professors H.L. Bronson and Otto Hahn. In each volume can be found photographs of Rutherford and his collaborators, multiple graphs, tables, diagrams and charts, and also pictures of the original apparatus which is of historic interest.

This is the second of three volumes which together contain the complete range of Lord Rutherford’s scientific papers, incorporating in addition addresses, general lectures, letters to editors, accounts of his scientific work and personal recollections by friends and colleagues. Volume two, first published in 1963, includes the papers published by Rutherford when professor of Physics at Manchester, 1907 to 1919. While the work of his laboratory ranged over the whole field of radioactivity, he himself devoted much effort to questions concerning the nature and properties of the α particle. Consideration of the scattering of α particles led him to the second of his outstanding achievements, the conception of the nuclear structure of the atom, which opened up a new era in Physics. In each volume can be found photographs of Rutherford and his collaborators, multiple graphs, tables, diagrams and charts, and also pictures of the original apparatus which is of historic interest.

This is the third of three volumes which together contain the complete range of Lord Rutherford’s scientific papers, incorporating in addition addresses, general lectures, letters to editors, accounts of his scientific work and personal recollections by friends and colleagues. The final volume, first published in 1965, covers his period as Cavendish Professor from 1919 to 1937. Following on the immense fertility of his years in Manchester – only overshadowed towards the end by the war – we now turn to his last years as a world figure at the Cavendish Laboratory, where he continued his work on the properties of the α particle and the nature of the atom. In each volume can be found photographs of Rutherford and his collaborators, multiple graphs, tables, diagrams and charts, and also pictures of the original apparatus which is of historic interest.

First published in 1957, this essential classic work bridged the gap between analytical and theoretical biology, thus setting the insights of the former in a context which more sensitively reflects the ambiguities surrounding many of its core concepts and objectives. Specifically, these five essays are concerned with some of the major problems of classical biology: the precise character of biological organisation, the processes which generate it, and the specifics of evolution. With regard to these issues, some thinkers suggest that biological organisms are not merely distinguishable from inanimate ‘things’ in terms of complexity, but are in fact radically different qualitatively: they exemplify some constitutive principle which is not elsewhere manifested.It is the desire to bring such ideas into conformity with our understanding of analytical biology which unifies these essays. They explore the contours of a conceptual framework sufficiently wide to embrace all aspects of living systems.

Summarising the most novel facts and theories which were coming into prominence at the time, particularly those which had not yet been incorporated into standard textbooks, this important work was first published in 1921. The subjects treated cover a wide range of research that was being conducted into the atom, and include Quantum Theory, the Bohr Theory, the Sommerfield extension of Bohr’s work, the Octet Theory and Isotopes, as well as Ionisation Potentials and Solar Phenomena. Because much of the material of Atomic Theories lies on the boundary between experimentally verified fact and speculative theory, it indicates in a unique way how the future of physics was perceived at the time of writing. It thus throws into stark relief not only the immense advances made since the 1920s, but also, perhaps, highlights the importance of not rigidly adhering to a particular program of future discoveries.

Summarising the most novel facts and theories which were coming into prominence at the time, particularly those which had not yet been incorporated into standard textbooks, this important work was first published in 1921. The subjects treated cover a wide range of research that was being conducted into the atom, and include Quantum Theory, the Bohr Theory, the Sommerfield extension of Bohr’s work, the Octet Theory and Isotopes, as well as Ionisation Potentials and Solar Phenomena. Because much of the material of Atomic Theories lies on the boundary between experimentally verified fact and speculative theory, it indicates in a unique way how the future of physics was perceived at the time of writing. It thus throws into stark relief not only the immense advances made since the 1920s, but also, perhaps, highlights the importance of not rigidly adhering to a particular program of future discoveries.

First published in 1951 to coincide with the British Festival, this book explores the developments in science which had occurred since the Great Exhibition of 1851. Covering the full range of scientific development which had emerged in that time – from fundamental physics to evolution and genetics, and from geology to medical surgery – this accessible collection of essays charts with impressive comprehension and clarity the momentous changes which had occurred in the pursuit of science since the mid-nineteenth century, and ably demonstrates the appropriateness of citing the twentieth century as the advent of the scientific age. A Century of Science will appeal to those interested in the history of science, those wishing to ground their knowledge of specific scientific disciplines in a broader understanding of the subject, and also to the general reader who values scientific progress and the questions it continues to raise.

First published in1966, here is presented a comprehensive overview of one of the most elusive scientific speculations by the pre-eminent genius of the 20th century. The theory is viewed by some scientists with deep suspicion, by others with optimism, but all agree that it represents an extreme challenge. As the author herself affirms, this work is not intended to be a complete treatise or ‘didactic exposition’ of the theory of unified fields, but rather a tool for further study, both by students and professional physicists. Dealing with all the major areas of research which together comprise the development of a working model, the author ranges over conservation equations, variational principles, solutions of spherical symmetry, and treats a wide selection of Einstein’s own equations. The final chapter indicates problems associated with the unified field theory, in particular the energy-momentum tensor and geodesics.

In this collection of informal reminiscences, first published in 1975, Max Born has written an extraordinarily vivid account of his life and work, originally intended for his family.Ranging from his time at the University of Göttingen, where Born had his first real motivation for a professional career in science, to the period in Berlin as professor extraordinary, when he and his wife became close friends of Einstein, these anecdotes and memories chart the "heroic age of physics" from the perspective of one of its leading characters. In 1954 Born was awarded the Nobel Prize in physics for his fundamental contributions to the great discovery of that cadre of superlative scientific minds – quantum theory.But his scientific research provides only one strand of this story. Born’s varied interests outside science led to many interesting experiences – some of historical importance insofar as they offer a glimpse into German society before and between the wars.

Containing the proceedings of the symposium held by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Niels Bohr, this collection was first published in 1988. More than any other individual, Bohr was responsible for the development of quantum mechanics and for many of its applications in the pursuit of fundamental understanding of physical reality. In addition to his unique role in the discovery and elucidation of quantum theory, Bohr led the study of the fission of nuclei and was greatly concerned with the impact of the existence of the atomic bomb in the post-World War II era. This unique volume provides a panoramic view of modern physics, some of the philosophical issues associated with quantum theory, the impact of this momentous scientific development on the political circumstance of the Cold War Era and the qualities of a superlative scientist.

This book offers an overview of a huge range of scientific achievements in the 20th century, specifically in the field of applied science. The majority of the essays originally appeared in papers and journals such as the Daily Worker, New Statesman and Nation, Science and Society and Nature. Insofar as one theme runs through them, it is the application of scientific knowledge for the benefit of human society. The author is unashamed to present his perspective on some of the topics discussed in the context of his commitment to Marxism. This collection of essays, first published in 1947, thus offers an intriguing glimpse of mid-20th century attitudes towards science, and specifically to the possibilities of a scientific approach to the full spectrum of human endeavour as they were perceived in the aftermath of the Second World War, at a time when the Soviet Union and its creed still seemed ascendant.

Science in the Changing World, first published in 1933, contains a series of broadcasted presentations on the relationship between science and the development of European civilisation in the first half of the 20th century. Specifically, each talk attempts to reflect the crisis through which the world seemed to be passing at the time, and to make an analysis of those forces of transformation in science, art, economics, and social life which were associated most closely with the advent of the ‘scientific’ century. Included among the presenters are such eminent and diverse thinkers as Julian Huxley, Bertrand Russell and Hilaire Belloc. Science at Your Service: First published in 1945, this collection of twelve BBC broadcasts focuses on the influence of science in everyday life, and demonstrates that not all science is remote and theoretical. Each speaker deals with some aspect of mid-20th century scientific advance as it related to subjects of practical importance, from textiles and tunnels to fishing and ship design. Offering a glimpse into the attitudes towards science current in the middle of the Second World War, this brief and accessible collection will be of interest to cultural historians as well as to the general science enthusiast.

First published in 1936, this volume contains six of the Halley Stewart Lectures – originally founded "For Research towards the Christian Ideal in All Social Life" – by some of the greatest of English scientists of the mid-20th century, each a leading authority in his respective field: cosmology, physics, meteorology, medicine and genetics. The final lecture considers the relationship between scientific knowledge and human ideals, commenting on the paradox that a century which produced such scientific advance also witnessed the most concentrated period of social, economic and political turmoil in world history.