Includes index.

Bibliography: p. [186]-189.

Changing the World -- Early attitudes to Science -- A new Vision -- Science as the Key to Progress -- New Tools and Methods for Science -- Science forms a Community -- Early Science as seen by the Public -- Early attempts to make use of Science -- Science meets Industry and is seen to be useful -- Knowledge meets Power -- the first science-based industries -- Science becomes a Profession -- Science grows fast -- Science finds Patrons in Industry -- Science finds Patrons in Government -- Science is identified with its Applications -- Interpreting the World -- The Medieval Model of the World -- The Medieval Model is destroyed -- the Copernican revolution -- Newton makes a new Model of the World -- The Mechanical Philosophy -- the Cartesian revolution -- The Idea that Matter is made up of Atoms -- The Idea that Living Matter is made up of Cells -- Understanding Heat and Energy -- The Idea of the Aether -- the Mechanical Philosophy fails -- The Idea of Evolution -- the Darwinian revolution -- Fin du Siecle -- Science in the 20th century -- exploring the very large and very small -- Exploring the very small -- the realm of the atom -- The Ideas of the Quantum Theory -- a revolution in scientific thought -- The Idea of Complementarity -- the observer enters the picture -- Chance replaces Certainty -- A Failure of Reductionism -- some things cannot be taken to pieces -- Exploring the very large -- a new understanding of Space and Time -- Exploring the very large -- the realm of the Galaxies -- In the Beginning -- The Cultural Dimension of Science -- Our Image of Science -- Making better practical use of Science -- Why support Basic Research? -- How shall we choose what Basic Research to do? -- Learning about Science -- The Cultural Function of Science -- The Perspectives of Science -- Science and Values -- Beyond the Mechanical Philosophy -- Living with Uncertainty -- Science as Metaphor -- The Pursuit of Wisdom -- The Religious Dimension of Science -- The Divorce of Science and Religion -- The need to reconcile Science and Religion -- The Nature and Function of Science and Religion -- Scientific Knowledge and Divine Revelation -- Religious Belief and Obsolete Science -- Religious Belief and Contemporary Science -- The Enlightenment of Belief.

We live in a culture which, while largely dependent on science for its material welfare, is largely ignorant of the new ideas and perspectives on which science is based. This book examines the true significance of science and technology for society over the last three hundred years. Professor Hanbury Brown's insight and experience have resulted in a novel approach to the discussion of the cultural role of science. After reviewing the history of how science grew to be both useful to, and feared by society, the book traces the same period in the context of new ideas and concepts in scientific research. Later chapters deal with society's current view of science and the need for attitudes to be changed, and then a discussion of the religious dimensions of science. This book aims to clear away some of the popular misconceptions about science and to put in their place a wider and deeper understanding of the nature of science and its value to society.