Abstract: "Science, as Charles Singer points out in his preface, having come to control and direct industry, is now rapidly and manifestly transforming the very face of the earth and the lot of its living inhabitants, whether human, animal, or plant. What is the story behind this immense increase in scientific activity? Has science always been so powerful? And what does 'science' mean? Dr. Singer answers these questions by presenting a history of science--its developments, its protagonists, and the philosophy behind it. From the Stone Age to the twentieth century, from Ancient Egypt to modern Europe, from astrology to microbiology, this is the complex and extraordinary story of man's curiosity."--Jacket.

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

Contents: List of illustrations -- Introduction. Nature of the scientific process -- Rise of mental coherence. The foundations: Mesopotamia, Egypt, Ionia, Magna Graecia, Athens, to c. 400 B.C. -- The great adventure. Unitary systems of thought: Athens, 400-300 B.C. -- The second adventure. Divorce of science and philosophy: Alexandria (300 B.C.-A.D. 200) -- The failure of inspiration. Science the handmaid of practice: Imperial Rome (50 B.C.-A.D. 400) -- The failure of knowledge. The middle ages: Theology, queen of the sciences (c. A.D. 400-c.1400) -- Revival of learning. Rite of humanism: Attempted return to antiquity (1250-1600) -- The insurgent century. Downfall of Aristotle (1600-1700): New attempts at synthesis -- The mechanical world. Enthronement of determminism (1700-1850) --Culmination of the mechanical view of the world (c. 1850-c. 1900) -- Index.

English