Editors:
- Addresses the theoretical basis of science and is not "watered-down Biology"
- Explains the most complex issues in a clear and non-technical manner
- Emphasizes the accessibility of scientific thinking and the excitement of science even to students who have feared or disliked what they considered to be science
- Relates the development of scientific ideas to their cultural context
- Emphasizes process rather than data, and forces students to think and analyze
- Prepares students to cope with today’s barrage of scientific information and argument
- Prepares students to comprehend and cope with the rapid changes that continually occur in science
- Presents without polemic the scientific case for belief in evolution and natural selection
- Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras
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Table of contents (33 chapters)
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Front Matter
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How Science Works
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Front Matter
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Origin of the Theory of Evolution: Time and Change
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Front Matter
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Origin of the Theory of Evolution: Social Aspects
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Front Matter
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The Molecular Basis of Evolutionary Theory
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Front Matter
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About this book
Reviews
From the reviews:
"The Joy of Science" is an illustrated guide to critical thinking based on the principles of scientific inquiry. This book is written primarily for the non-scientist, but scientists and teachers will be interested in the clever analogies, fascinating facts and classic stories. It provides an outstanding guide for teachers and students to understand the origins and value of scientific reasoning. J. Marie Hardwick, Johns Hopkins University, Schools of Public Health and Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
"The Joy of Science" is a book that might change your understanding of "Science" and "View of Life" in a substantial way. Richard Lockshin makes complex elements easy to grasp and more importantly, he is teaching the right way to approach biology and its influence in modern thinking. There are no specific prerequisites to reading and understanding this book. "The Joy of Science" is one of the most rewarding books on scientific methodology and evolution. It should be read not only by scientists or students but by anyone with a basic background in biology and a willingness to stretch their minds. Mauro Piacentini, Professor of Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome Italy.
This textbook is a liberal approach to the teaching of Natural Science. Author and Professor Richard Lockshin demonstrate that the learning of science must be accompanied by learning about science. Students who use the text with a supportive teacher and teaching environment will increase their general science literacy with respect to Natural Science content, particularly the topic of evolution, as well as their literacy with respect to how the scientific enterprise works. This book should well serve the needs for a first course in college science, particularly for non-science majors. Dr. Daniel J. Brovey,Professor Emeritus, Science and Technology Eduatio, Queens College, CUNY, New York, USA
"Using evolution as the focus, this book explores how scientists ask questions and what constitutes a robust and valid answer. Who is it for? Primarily for the non-scientist or those wishing for a refreshing perspective on ‘science for the non-scientist’. Presentation It provides lots of analogies, metaphors, facts and stories about science. Would you recommend it? This is an interesting and lively text on evolution and the history of the Earth." (Times Higher Education, May, 2008)
"The Joy of Science is indeed a joy to read. It is well organized, concise, and informative. Though this book is geared for one- or two-semester courses for nonscience students, it has aspects appropriate for other intellectually diverse programs. … Excellent supportive graphic materials are found throughout the work. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through graduate students." (J. N. Muzio, Choice, Vol. 46 (2), October, 2008)
“The Joy of Science is a textbook on evolution … . wrote foruniversity students, but we may also hypothesize some uses in high school. … Each chapter ends with a series of good ‘essay style’ questions to be used in consolidating learning. An index helps in locating particular arguments in the book. … Richard Lockshin’s endeavor to present scientific explanations as problem solving in their historical context is very interesting and realized in The Joy of Science.” (Emanuele Serrelli, Evolution: Education & Outreach, Vol. 2 (4), December, 2009)
Editors and Affiliations
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Department of Biological Sciences, St. John’s University, Queens, USA
Richard A. Lockshin
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: The Joy of Science
Book Subtitle: An Examination of How Scientists Ask and Answer Questions Using the Story of Evolution as a Paradigm
Editors: Richard A. Lockshin
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6099-1
Publisher: Springer Dordrecht
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life Sciences, Biomedical and Life Sciences (R0)
Copyright Information: Springer Nature B.V. 2007
Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-4020-6098-4Published: 21 November 2007
Softcover ISBN: 978-90-481-7535-2Published: 06 November 2010
eBook ISBN: 978-1-4020-6099-1Published: 05 November 2007
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XI, 440
Topics: Biomedicine, general, Evolutionary Biology, Microbial Genetics and Genomics, Popular Science in Nature and Environment