Science and Philosophy in the West

I was given a copy of this book as a gift by my girlfriend who had it for a course book in college. I have really enjoyed it. The author attempts to review all of science and philospophy from the sixth century BC to present day and odes a remarkable job of it. Here's the TOC: 1 Ancient Dialogs 2 Greek and Midieval Aristotelian Science 3 The Seventeenth-Century Revolution in Phisical Science 4 Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centrur Transformations in Metaphysics 5 Modern Views on scientific Method 6 Modern Transformations in Biology and Medicine 7 TheRefinement and Evolution of Mechanical Phisics 8 Science and Obsolence of Metaphysics and Religion 9 Social, Ethical, and Political Dimensions in Science and Technology 10 Some Twetieth-Century Developments in Physical Science 11 Twentieth-Century views on Scientific Method 12 Science and Philosophy at the Turn of the Millennium This book documents the major advances in science and philosophy. It has significant excerpts from the writings of all the major players including: Einstein, Freud, Mach, Aristotle, Dewey, Gallileo, Heisenberg, Henery David Thoreau, and many, many more. The author provides insightful commentary and context to the cited excerpts. It makes for an interesting and enlightening review of science and philosophy. While this book is enjoyable, it's not the easiest book in the world to read. I had to look up several words, and I'd advise most reader's to keep a dictionary handy. I would actually give this book about 4 1/2 stars on its own merit. I'll round it up to 5 because I really enjoyed it as a gift.