Historical Science-Book Club? March 11, 2010 4:22 PM   Subscribe

Historical Science-Book Club?

Hello,

Would any of you Mefites be interested in a Historical Science-Book Club?

I am reading Isaac Newton's Opticks at the moment and wondered if any other Mefites were interested in this book or others similar to it.

Perhaps you also know of sites or boards that such books are discussed on? If not perhaps we could make such a site.
posted by vostok to MetaFilter-Related at 4:22 PM (6 comments total) 6 users marked this as a favorite

Hi vostok, I studied history of science and I'd be interested in this. My background is more in 18th-19th c. natural history (geology, zoology, evolution) but I'd love to catch up on some of the major texts I never got round to reading.

Some suggestions that would interest me:
- Thomas Burnet, Sacred Theory of the Earth (1684)
- Robert Chambers, Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation (1844)
- M. J. S. Rudwick's translations of Cuvier in Georges Cuvier, Fossil Bones, and Geological Catastrophes (1998)

Any interest?
posted by cirripede at 7:28 PM on March 11, 2010


i would be interested in a regular science book club with mefites.
posted by empath at 12:44 AM on March 12, 2010 [1 favorite]


I am very interested in a book club that looks at historical scientific work, but I'm not particularly interested (at the moment) in reading historical primary sources. Perhaps there is a common ground forus in some more recent works on historical scientific figures or movements?
posted by farishta at 9:49 AM on March 12, 2010



I probably don’t belong in here, but--

I love science and would love to read more about science (especially new to me areas, like physics…dark matter, dark energy, blah blah blah).

The history won’t interest me beyond a few pages, though. Is there a way to bridge a gap like this? The history buffs could read and perhaps refer us to a journal article or news article, the other people could read about current material and info. The discussion could include an exchange of these ideas.

Or I should stop being so lazy and suggest my own book club rather than toss stones at the current suggestion? Sorry
posted by Wolfster at 10:27 AM on March 12, 2010 [1 favorite]


Well, after my first comment I realized that, as much as I'd love to dissect Cuvier with a book club, I probably don't have the time right now anyway. So I will sign on with farishta: some lighter, secondary reading seems just about right to me.

Maybe a book of essays to start?
posted by cirripede at 10:56 AM on March 12, 2010


I'm interested, though who knows if I would actually have time to participate meaningfully.
posted by hattifattener at 11:20 PM on March 13, 2010


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