Science makes the modern world go round, driving the economy, shaping politics, and influencing the food we eat, the films we watch, and the authoritites we trust. Although we celebrate its eureka moments and are surrounded by its triumphs, science’s past is littered with disagreements, doubts, and misfires, while new developments are increasingly mired in controversy.

In History of Science: A Beginner’s Guide, Sean Johnston weaves together intellectual history, philosophy, and social studies to offer a unique appraisal of the nature of this evolving discipline. Beginning with the phenomena faced by our earliest ancestors, right up to debates surrounding climate change predictions, the rise of commercial science, and the ethics of biotechnology, Johnston demonstrates that science is a continually evolving activity that both influences and is influenced by its cultural context. Based on its past, where might it lead us in the twenty-first century?

Sean F. Johnston is Reader in the History of Science and Technology at the University of Glasgow. He is also a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy with a prior career as a physicist and systems engineer.

"Compellingly written... As an introduction to the historiography of science, this book is superb... a wonderfully rich volume, ideal for the newbie historian or interested layperson." British Society for the History of Science

"Lucidly and engagingly written... Johnston has managed to cover an impressive range of material, making it readily accessible to newcomers." Patricia Fara, author of Science: A Four Thousand Year History

"Clearly written without being patronising, this is a first-rate introduction to the history of science! Professional historian Sean Johnston shows that the subject is much more than a narrative account of scientific breakthroughs." Dr Peter Morris