The History and Philosophy of Science

This book provides an in-depth analysis of the history and evolution of the major disciplines of science, which include the basic sciences, bioscience, natural sciences and medical science, with special emphasis on the Indian perspective. While academic interest shown in the history and philosophy of science dates back to several centuries, serious scholarship on how the sciences and the society interact and influence each other can only be dated back to the twentieth century. This volume explores the ethical and moral issues related to social values, along with the controversies that arise in relation to the discourse of science from the philosophical perspectives.

The book sheds light on themes that have proved to have a significant and overwhelming influence on present-day civilisation. It takes the reader through a journey, on how the sciences have developed and have been discussed, to explore key themes like the colonial influences on science; how key scientific ideas have developed from Aristotle to Newton; history of ancient Indian mathematics; agency, representation, deviance with regard to the human body in science; bioethics; mental health, psychology and the sciences; setting up of the first teaching departments for subjects such as medicine, ecology and physiology in India; recent research in chemical technology; and even the legacy of ancient Indian scientific discoveries.

A part of the Contemporary Issues in Social Science Research series, this interdisciplinary work will be of immense interest to scholars and researchers of philosophy, modern history, sociology of medicine, physical sciences, bioscience, chemistry and medical sciences. It will be of interest to the general reader also.