Posted by Carlos on April 07, 1999 at 23:01:46:
The Day the Universe Changed, by James Burke, is one of my favorite books. I've recommended it to a number of people, and believe it's suitable for both scientific novices and those who are more well-read.
Burke's thesis is that "…when what we know changes, the world changes and with it, everything." He examines several pivotal moments in history when some aspect of science was "known" until someone came along who challenged, and ultimately changed, that perception. For example, before Pasteur, doctors "knew" that disease was caused by "bad air". Before Galileo and Copernicus, people "knew" the Earth was at the center of the universe.
Burke describes the purpose of his work in the introduction:
"This book examines what happened at particular points in history when man applied such a rational approach to nature. It looks at the ways in which a questioning system of thought brought us to today's world, in which change is the only constant. Above all, it seeks to show how the attitudes of Western Culture, and the institutions which accompany these attitudes, are generated at times when major changes occur in the way society sees itself, as a result of advances in the body of knowledge."
Burke begins by examining early advances in philosophy, theology, mathematics, art, etc. from the 11th through the 14th centuries. He then moves into more familiar territory and describes several periods in history when people's view of the world changed dramatically, some of which I describe below:
- The invention of the printing press in the 15th century "…gave us our modern way of ordering thought." The structural foundations of the oral society were destroyed, and society began to move away from a strict obedience to authority and power. The basis for specialization was created, which in turn created our modern industrial society.
- Newton, Kepler, Descartes and others described the physical laws governing the motion of objects and "…destroyed the medieval picture of the world as a structure moved by the unseen by ever-present hand of God."
- The industrial revolution in the 18th century ended the dependence of mankinds on the vagaries of weather and fortune for subsistence. Indeed, Burke traces the root of the industrial revolution to the end of the "mini ice age" in 1720 which coincided with the black rat being supplanted in England by the brown rat. Not obviously important, except that the black rat carried fleas that wandered, while those of the brown rat nested. Thus, centuries of plague ended abruptly. The resulting surge in population was the impetus for many of the forerunners of industrialization (canals, banking, etc.) With the industrial revolution "…came the modern expectation of progress and a better standard of living made possible by men's skills and the machines they invented." It's now difficult to remember that attitude has only been possible for a couple of centuries.
- Darwin and the theory of evolution fundamentally changed our world view again. Before Darwin, everyone "knew" that all species had been created by God at the Beginning. Although some will certainly quibble with Nietzsche's conclusion that "God is dead", it is obviously true that with evolution came a host of changes in human society - not all of them good (Haeckel, misusing Darwin's theories, laid the intellectual groundwork for Hitler's Aryan movement). Because of the revolution Darwin began, we are on the verge today of what some have named the "biological century".
These few examples cannot do the book justice. Copiously illustrated with paintings, diagrams, and photographs, it is quite entertaining to read or even just browse through. Highly recommended!