A History of Science in Society From Philosophy to Utility, Second Edition

A History of Science in Society is a concise overview that introduces complex ideas in a non-technical fashion. Andrew Ede and Lesley B. Cormack trace the history of science through its continually changing place in society and explore the link between the pursuit of knowledge and the desire to make that knowledge useful.

In this edition, the authors examine the robust intellectual exchange between East and West and provide new discussions of two women in science: Maria Merian and Maria Winkelmann. A chapter on the relationship between science and war has been added as well as a section on climate change. The further readings section has been updated to reflect recent contributions to the field. Other new features include timelines at the end of each chapter, 70 upgraded illustrations, and new maps of Renaissance Europe, Captain James Cook's voyages, the 2nd voyage of the Beagle, and the main war front during World War I.

Lesley B. Cormack is Dean of Arts at the University of Alberta and the author of Charting an Empire: Geography at the English Universities, 1580-1620 and co-editor with Andrew Ede of A History of Science in Society: A Reader.
Andrew Ede is Associate Professor of History at the University of Alberta and the author of The Rise and Decline of Colloid Science in North America, 1900-1935: The Neglected Dimension and The Chemical Element: A Historical Perspective.