Daniel J. Kevles is an American historian of science, focusing on the history of American science and its intricate connections with ethics and society. He is known for his ability to synthesize vast amounts of historical information into readable and coherent narratives. His work delves into themes such as the societal impact of scientific discoveries, environmentalism, and ethical dilemmas in science, including eugenics and scientific integrity. Kevles' writings are recognized for their meticulous scholarship and detailed reporting.
In these essays, Jonathan Miller, Oliver Sacks and Daniel Kevles show how and why some discoveries and insights in science emerge with great promise, only to be discarded or forgotten, then re-emerge years later as important. Richard Lewontin and Stephen Jay Gould suggest deep and largely unacknowledged distortions in the way scientists and popularizers alike conceive the sturcture of the world and its natural history. Illustrations.
In the 19th century, when the idea of eugenics (selective breeding to generate superior members of a species) was invited off the farm and into the parlor, it was a far-fetched notion with little possibility of success driven by clearly racist motivations. But at the end of the 20th century, biotechnological techniques and other agendas are making forms of human eugenics plausible. Rich in anecdote, narrative, and fact. An important book.