How We Know PB

The introductory chapters are excellent essays on science...what it is, why we use it, how it came to be. Then there are 3 outstanding case studies: Cholera, Heat, and Insanity. Each contains examples of good science, bad science, and things that are NOT science, but useful nevertheless. Finally, there are closing chapters. While there are some gems there, some of these are the weakest part of this outstanding book. In the 40ish years I have been reading about science and the societies that use it, this is one of the very best books that bear on it.

This book through historical cases demystifies the confused readers not trained in science. It shows the important part that intuition plays in the scientific paradigm, something the Belgian writer Georges Simenon also asserted a lot. It starts with what is Science then proceeds to facts and interesting historical cases like Vibrio cholera, heat, or the concept of madness (more related to social sciences than pure science). For hard science, you have to look at chapter 14 on logic and mathematics, chapter 15 on probability and the last chapter deals with statistics. All in all, it is an exhaustive book that could be useful reading in high schools.