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The Evolution of Knowledge

Rethinking Science for the Anthropocene
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Evolution of Knowledge offers a transformative perspective on the history of science and technology, situating knowledge as a central driver of cultural evolution. Jürgen Renn traces the development of knowledge from early civilisation to the present Anthropocene epoch, examining milestones such as the rise of writing, the Scientific Revolution, and modern scientific advances. Drawing from disciplines including cognitive science, evolutionary biology, and earth science, this book provides a broad, interdisciplinary framework for understanding structural shifts in knowledge systems. It also connects historical insights to contemporary global challenges like climate change and digital capitalism.
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Format: Hardback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

Ideal for scholars and general readers interested in the history and philosophy of science, cultural evolution, and the societal impact of knowledge. Also suited to those looking to contextualise current global challenges within a long-term historical framework.

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A fundamentally new approach to the history of science and technologyThis book presents a new way of thinking about the history of science and technology, one that offers a grand narrative of human history in which knowledge serves as a critical factor of cultural evolution. Jurgen Renn examines the role of knowledge in global transformations g

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A fundamentally new approach to the history of science and technology. This book presents a new way of thinking about the history of science and technology, one that offers a grand narrative of human history in which knowledge serves as a critical factor of cultural evolution.

Jürgen Renn examines the role of knowledge in global transformations going back to the dawn of civilisation while providing vital perspectives on the complex challenges confronting us today in the Anthropocene—this new geological epoch shaped by humankind.

Renn reframes the history of science and technology within a much broader history of knowledge, analysing key episodes such as the evolution of writing, the emergence of science in the ancient world, the Scientific Revolution of early modernity, the globalisation of knowledge, industrialisation, and the profound transformations wrought by modern science.

He investigates the evolution of knowledge using an array of disciplines and methods, from cognitive science and experimental psychology to earth science and evolutionary biology. The result is an entirely new framework for understanding structural changes in systems of knowledge—and a bold new approach to the history and philosophy of science.

Written by one of today's preeminent historians of science, The Evolution of Knowledge features discussions of historiographical themes, a glossary of key terms, and practical insights on global issues ranging from climate change to digital capitalism. This incisive book also serves as an invaluable introduction to the history of knowledge.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Praised as a lucid and accessible work, this book is recognised for advancing how we understand the role of knowledge in society and engaging with urgent contemporary issues. Reviewers describe it as a provocative and ambitious global history, written with skill and determination. It is recommended for readers both inside and outside academia who are concerned with the future of science and the planet.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780691171982

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 14 January 2020

Country: United States

Imprint: Princeton University Press

Illustration: 105 b/w illus.

Audience: Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Width: 155.0mm

Height: 235.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 584

About the Author

Jrgen Renn is a director at the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science in Berlin, where, together with his group, he researches structural changes in systems of knowledge. His books include, with Hanoch Gutfreund, The Formative Years of Relativity: The History and Meaning of Einstein's Princeton Lectures and The Road to Relativity: The History and Meaning of Einstein's "The Foundation of General Relativity" (both Princeton).

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