The heritage of Copernicus: theories "pleasing to the mind". [Copernican legacy for meteorology; Non-Euclidean geometry; Infinities; Copernicus satellite; On the origin of cells; Riddles of cosmology; Edwin Hubble; Harlow Shapley; Nicholas Copernicu

Cambridge, Massachusetts, MIT Press, 1974., 1974. Very Good. x, 542 p. illus. 24 cm. ; ISBN: 0262140217; 9780262140218 ; LCCN: 74-6415 ; OCLC: 874206 ; sky-blue cloth with gold lettering ; no dustjacket ; ex-lib, stamps, label, date due, pocket ; Contents: Harrison Brown : Preface - Jerzy Neyman : Nicholas Copernicus (Mikolaj Kopernik) : An intellectual revolutionary - 1. Astronomy and cosmology : Bart J. Bok : Harlow Shapley and the discovery of the center of our galaxy - Donald W. Goldsmith : Edwin Hubble and the Universe outside our galaxy - Wlodimie rz Zonn : Explosive events in the Universe - C. Burbidge and M. Burbidge : Modern riddles of cosmology - 2. Biology : Robert L. Sinsheimer : The molecular basis of life - R.C. Lewontin : Darwin and Mendel - The materialist revolution - E. Margoliash : Informational macromolecules and biological evolution - Seymour S. Cohen : On the origin of cells : The development of a Copernican revolution - Stanley L. Miller : The first laboratory synthesis of organic compounds under primitive earth conditions - David Hubel : Neurobiology : A science in need of a Copernicus - 3. Chemistry and physics : Glenn T. Seaborg : From Mendelev to Mendelevium and beyond - Rainer K. Sachs : Relativity - Victor F. Weisskopf : The impact of Quantum theory on moder n physics - J. Hughes : The Copernican legacy for meteorology - 4. Quasi-Copernican revolution in mathematics : Eugene Lukacs : Non-Euclidean geometry - S.M. Ulam : Infinities - J.M. Hammersley : The technology of thought - 5. Study of chance mechanisms, a quasi-Copernican revolution in science and in mathematics : Herbert Robbins : The statistical mode of thought - M. Kac : The emergence of statistical thought in exact sciences - W.G. Cochran : The vital role of randomization in experiments a nd surveys - 6. Technology : Guyford Sever : Man take wings - Donald W. Goldsmith : The Copernicus satellite in the new era of space astronomy - Robert L. Carman : Lasers - Evolution and technological use - Harrison Brown : Some quasi-Copernican rev olutions in man's utilization of energy ; "The introductory chapter describes the circumstances and the essence of the initial intellectual revolution due to Copernicus himself. The subsequent six parts present in turn: (1) several revolutions in astronomy-cosmology, all in the twentieth century and one of them still in progress; (2) a number of deep revolutionary changes in the biological sciences, one of them made twenty years ago by an inspired contribution of a graduate student; (3) several revolutionary changes in the physical sciences; (4) revolutions in the thinking of mathematicians; (5) the emergence of a "pluralistic" point of view in scientific research; and (6) revolutions in technology." ; spine and cover sunned (with a mark from a shelving brace thereby visible) ; VG