In the first full-length biography of John William Dawson (1820-1899), eminent scientist and principal of McGill University, Susan Sheets-Pyenson highlights the extraordinary scope of Dawson's educational and scientific career and his commitment to science, rationality, and the advancement of knowledge.

Born into a prominent Scottish family on Prince Edward Island, Macdonald rejected his Catholic upbringing and left home when he was eighteen. After three years in Boston as a bookkeeper he headed to Montreal and began to work as a commission agent. By 1868 Macdonald had become the leading manufacturer of chewing tobacco in Canada, and by 1885 he may have been the richest person in the country.

Was Isaac Newton, considered by many to be the most important scientist of all time, actually a mystical occultist? Was Galileo, often viewed as science's greatest voice of reason, to blame for his conflict with the Catholic Church? Four Treatises for the Reconsideration of the History of Science examines these and other momentous episodes in the history of science by shedding light on some of the more prevalent misconceptions regarding our views concerning the genesis of science. Historian and freelance writer, Fabio J. A. Farina, provides an excellent academic introduction to four important case studies necessary for understanding the historical contexts that have influenced science. His arguments show that there is a far more complex interplay of issues, ideologies, and philosophies rather than the simple rationalist evolution as many may view it today. The many interesting concepts and viewpoints presented in this small yet invaluable collection will undoubtedly fuel interest for further research and future discussions.

Representing the present rich state of historical work on Darwin and Darwinism, this volume of essays places the great theorist in the context of Victorian science. The book includes contributions by some of the most distinguished senior figures of Darwin scholarship and by leading younger scholars who have been transforming Darwinian studies. The result is the most comprehensive survey available of Darwin's impact on science and society. Originally published in 1986. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

"The present book is intended as a progress report on [the] synthetic approach to evolution as it applies to the plant kingdom." With this simple statement, G. Ledyard Stebbins formulated the objectives of Variation and Evolution in Plants, published in 1950, setting forth for plants what became known as the "synthetic theory of evolution" or "the modern synthesis." The pervading conceit of the book was the molding of Darwin's evolution by natural selection within the framework of rapidly advancing genetic knowledge. At the time, Variation and Evolution in Plants significantly extended the scope of the science of plants. Plants, with their unique genetic, physiological, and evolutionary features, had all but been left completely out of the synthesis until that point. Fifty years later, the National Academy of Sciences convened a colloquium to update the advances made by Stebbins. This collection of 17 papers marks the 50th anniversary of the publication of Stebbins' classic. Organized into five sections, the book covers: early evolution and the origin of cells, virus and bacterial models, protoctist models, population variation, and trends and patterns in plant evolution.

First multi-year cumulation covers six years: 1965-70.

Professor Berger aims in this book to ‘explore the rise, expression, and relative decline of the idea of natural history’ in Canada, during the age of Victoria. Science, particularly natural science, was then accessible to the general public in a way scarcely imaginable today. Natural history societies were set up in a number of cities and provided a focus for the descriptive and collecting activities of amateurs and incipient professionals. These societies acted as social clubs and vehicles for self-improvement as well as providing excellent training for the amateur scientist. The Baconian assumptions that inspired the Victorian collectors and scientists were one of the major victims of the Darwinian revolution, and their demise brought about the gradual decline of the natural history societies. Professor Berger considers also the sense of wonder and reverence with which Victorian Canadians, like their British contemporaries, looked at the varieties and delights of nature. The British tradition of natural theology had a great impact on the pursuit of science in Victorian Canada, leading naturalists and poets alike to seek in the uncharted flora and fauna of their new land the handiwork of a benevolent God. The author examines the impact of the discoveries of Darwin on this tradition and on the relations between science and religion, as the creator and the act of creation became more and more distant in time and more tenuously connected to the world of nature around us. His study provides many rich insights into the practice and theory of natural history in an age when even a veteran politician could look back and recall, with understanding and in detail, the world of nature in the countryside of his youth.

This sesquicentennial project of Presbyterian College tells the stories of thirteen individuals, chosen from among its graduates, faculty and benefactors, whose still voices represent in unique ways the history and influence of the college over the past 150 years. Each chapter presents a biography, a sermon, address, letter or report, followed by a commentary showing how this still voice spoke to the issues of the time and why it still should be heard. The themes remind us of the college's continuing mission to provide the Church with strong and visionary leaders. The book concludes with useful lists of Presbyterian College's students, scholars, supporters and societies down through the years.

First multi-year cumulation covers six years: 1965-70.