Genesis and Development of a Scientific Fact

English-language edition of Ludwik Fleck's landmark study of the sociology and philosophy of scientific knowledge, originally published in German in 1935 as Entstehung und Entwicklung einer wissenschaftlichen Tatsache. Edited by Thaddeus J. Trenn and Robert K. Merton, translated by Fred Bradley and Thaddeus J. Trenn, with a foreword by Thomas S. Kuhn. Fleck challenges the idea that scientific facts simply emerge from neutral observation, arguing instead that scientific knowledge develops within communities of investigators whose shared assumptions, terminology, and intellectual traditions shape what can be observed and understood. His concepts of the "thought collective" and "thought style" anticipated later work in the sociology of scientific knowledge and philosophy of science. The book is particularly notable for its influence on discussions of scientific discovery and paradigm formation. Thomas Kuhn acknowledged Fleck's work as an important precursor to later approaches to the historical and sociological study of science. Condition: Good. Original illustrated black and blue wrappers show moderate rubbing, surface scratches, edge wear, and wear to corners and extremities. Small areas of color loss and scuffing are present along the edges. Interior pages appear clean and well preserved with light age-toning. Binding remains sound. Please see photographs for full condition. Collector/Scholarly Appeal: A significant twentieth-century work in the philosophy, history, and sociology of science. Fleck's analysis of thought collectives and the social formation of scientific facts anticipated later developments associated with Thomas Kuhn and the sociology of scientific knowledge. Particularly suitable for collections in philosophy of science, sociology of science, history of medicine, epistemology, and intellectual history. Shipping/Returns: Carefully packed for shipment. Returns accepted in accordance with AbeBooks policies. SCI 3b.…