A Vision of Modern Science: John Tyndall and the Role of the Scientist in Victorian Culture
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A Vision of Modern Science: John Tyndall and the Role of the Scientist in Victorian Culture
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Review
“In her book-length study of an important—but somewhat neglected—Victorian physicist, Ursula DeYoung has illuminated the many facets of John Tyndall’s life and thought. The heart of the book is her compelling insight into the central irony of Tyndall’s career: his success in changing the nature of science, and redefining its place in British culture, was achieved at the cost of his own reputation. Engaging and challenging, this is an important contribution to our understanding of how Tyndall’s generation transformed science forever.”— Bernard Lightman, Science and Technology Studies, York University, author of Victorian Popularizers of Science “Compared to Humphry Davy and Michael Faraday, his predecessors at the Royal Institution, John Tyndall has been neglected in the historical literature. DeYoung provides a much needed corrective which above all shows the crucial role that Tyndall played in developing our idea of what constitutes modern science and its place in society.”—Frank A. J. L. James, Professor of the History of Science at the Royal Institution, London
From the Back Cover
"In her book-length study of an important--but somewhat neglected--Victorian physicist, Ursula DeYoung has illuminated the many facets of John Tyndall's life and thought. The heart of the book is her compelling insight into the central irony of Tyndall's career: his success in changing the nature of science, and redefining its place in British culture, was achieved at the cost of his own reputation. Engaging and challenging, this is an important contribution to our understanding of how Tyndall's generation transformed science forever."
--Bernard Lightman, Science and Technology Studies, York University, author of Victorian Popularizers of Science
"Compared to Humphry Davy and Michael Faraday, his predecessors at the Royal Institution, John Tyndall has been neglected in the historical literature. DeYoung provides a much needed corrective which above all shows the crucial role that Tyndall played in developing our idea of what constitutes modern science and its place in society."
--Frank A. J. L. James, Professor of the History of Science at the Royal Institution, London
01/07/2011
A Vision of Modern Science captures a fleeting, pivotal moment in Western intellectual history and offers a rare glimpse into the life of a neglected but fascinating figure in the history of science. John Tyndall's life and career is an illuminating case study in how our notions of the scientific have evolved into their current form, and DeYoung's lucid prose keeps what might be a dry exercise in synopsis lively and engaging. Much to my surprise (given the academic subject matter), I found myself empathizing with Tyndall throughout, lamenting his misfortunes and cheering his successes along with him, and at the end I felt the distinct sense of loss one would typically only expect at the end of a novel -- of having to say farewell to someone you've come to care about. An impressive achievement.
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