A lyrical and meditative tour de force that traces the evolution of man and science, including the rise of scientific inquiry
In The Firmament of Time-nominated for a National Book Award-Loren Eiseley offers a series of brilliant, provocative excursions through the history of science. A paleontologist with the soul and skill of a poet, he reflects on the many ways in which the quest for knowledge has been shaped by the changing cultures in which it emerged and developed. Examining the role of metaphor in scientific thought, anticipations of scientific discoveries in the works of poets and novelists, and the "unconscious conformity" of scientific theory to prevailing orthodoxies, he argues for the ongoing relevance of dreams, the imagination, and the irrational to scientific progress.
Autorentext
Loren Eiseley was born in Nebraska in 1907. An accomplished paleontologist teaching at the University of Pennsylvania, Eiseley turned late in his career to writing for a popular audience with the essay collection The Immense Journey, which became a surprise bestseller when published in 1957. It and the five collections that followed--The Firmament of Time, The Unexpected Universe, The Invisible Pyramid, The Night Country, and The Star Thrower--established him as one of America's most beloved and distinctive naturalists. He died in 1977.