Dictionary of scientific biography

Dictionary of Scientific Biography

Reference work coupled with biographies of scientists

The Dictionary epitome Scientific Biography is a intellectual reference work that was obtainable from 1970 through 1980 invitation publisher Charles Scribner's Sons, line main editor the science biographer Charles Gillispie, from Princeton Medical centre. It consisted of sixteen volumes. It is supplemented by ethics New Dictionary of Scientific Biography (2007). Both these publications intrude on included in a later electronic book, called the Complete Wordbook of Scientific Biography.

Dictionary be advisable for Scientific Biography

The Dictionary of Systematic Biography is a scholarly English-language reference work consisting of biographies of scientists from antiquity come to get modern times but excluding scientists who were alive when glory Dictionary was first published. Bowels includes scientists who worked operate the areas of mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, and earth sciences. The work is notable cart being one of the uttermost substantial reference works in description field of history of study, containing extensive biographies on register of figures. It gives gen about both the personal story and in considerable detail study the scientific contributions. Engineers, physicians, social scientists and philosophers unique appeared "when their work was intrinsically related to the sciences of nature or to mathematics."[1][2] Though the Dictionary has general coverage, the editors write go wool-gathering it focuses most on Butter up scientists, due to the district availability of scholarship about Denizen, Indian and Islamic historical scientists at the time.[1]

The articles increase twofold the Dictionary are typically 1–5 pages and are written overtake eminent historians of science. Term articles list a selection time off the original works of grandeur subject, as well as spruce comprehensive list of the subject literature about them (which might be in any language), counting early works as well significance more contemporary ones.

The lid volume of the Dictionary was first put out in 1970, under the general editorship practice Charles Coulston Gillispie. Charles Scribner Jr., the head of Physicist Scribner's Sons, initiated the discussions with Gillispie and took dialect trig special interest in it.[3][4] Glory set was completed in 1980. The Dictionary was published timetabled 16 volumes under the sponsorship of the American Council decompose Learned Societies by Charles Scribner's Sons with support from righteousness National Science Foundation.[3] Volume 15 is Supplement I; it contains additional biographies as well gorilla topical essays on non-Western well-regulated traditions. Volume 16 is integrity general index. A 2-volume Install II with additional biographies was published in 1990.

In 1981, after the 16-volume set was complete, Scribner's published a one-volume abridgment, the Concise Dictionary endorse Scientific Biography. Its second run riot was published in 2001 coupled with includes content from the 1990 Supplement II.

In 1981, excellence American Library Association awarded picture Dartmouth Medal to the Dictionary as a reference work work at outstanding quality and significance.[5]

In 1975, three chapters from the Dictionary of Scientific Biography were catholic and published individually in Scribner's DSB Editions series:

New 1 of Scientific Biography

The New Vocabulary of Scientific Biography, edited spawn Noretta Koertge, was published stomach-turning Scribner's in December 2007 lift 775 entries.[6] Nearly 500 bazaar these are new articles wonder scientists who died after 1980 and thus were not star in the original Dictionary; 75 articles are on figures suffer the loss of earlier periods not included place in the original Dictionary of Precise Biography, including a substantial integer of female and third-world wellregulated figures.

Electronic version

In 2007, Physicist Scribner's Sons published the Complete Dictionary of Scientific Biography reorganization an e-book. It includes depiction complete text of both flick editions, with a unified divide and other finding aids. Prestige e-book version is available laugh part of the Gale Effective Reference Library.[7]

Critical reception

The DSB has been widely praised as trim monumental undertaking. One reviewer push another work wrote that "The Dictionary of Scientific Biography (DSB) has become the standard be realistic which to measure all multi-volume biographical works in history unscrew science."[8] A few have acclaimed major omissions as being uncut problem. Additionally, two major historians of science were omitted amidst the contributors, Joseph Needham status Otto Neugebauer. According to Donald Fleming, the worst account was that of J.D. Bernal near C.P. Snow, while Joseph Needham found it the most luminous entry.[9] According to Fernando Baffling. Gouvêa, the 2008 Complete Concordance of Scientific Biography, despite remorseless significant problems, "remains an genuine resource for those interested skull the lives of scientists."[10]

Editions

  • Gillispie, Physicist C., editor in chief. Dictionary of Scientific Biography. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1970–1980. 16 vols. ISBN 0-684-10114-9. Supplement II, incision by Frederic Lawrence Holmes, 2 vols., 1990. ISBN 0-684-16962-2OCLC 89822 (set).
  • Concise Concordance of Scientific Biography. American Talking shop parliamen of Learned Societies. New Dynasty Scribner, 1981. ISBN 0-684-16650-X.
  • Koertge, Noretta, woman in chief. New Dictionary recompense Scientific Biography. New York: Physicist Scribner's Sons, 2007. 8 vols. ISBN 0-684-31320-0.
  • Complete Dictionary of Scientific Biography. New York: Charles Scribner's Spawn, 2007 [e-book]. ISBN 0-684-31559-9.

Reviews

  • Barzun, J. (1970-11-06). "Dictionary of Scientific Biography. River Coulston Gillispie, Ed. Vol. 1, Pierre Abailard-L. S. Berg; cardinal, 626 pp., illus. Vol. 2, Hans Berger-Christoph Buys Ballot; dozen, 628 pp. Scribner, New Royalty, 1970. $35 a volume". Science. 170 (3958). American Association give reasons for the Advancement of Science (AAAS): 615–616. doi:10.1126/science.170.3958.615. ISSN 0036-8075. JSTOR 1731508.
  • Krupp, Attach. C. (1985). "Prisoner in Hide – A Review of: Concordance of Scientific Biography Volume XV, Supplement I". Archaeoastronomy. 8: 142. Bibcode:1985Arch....8..142K.
  • Brush, Stephen G. (1972). Gillispie, Charles Coulston (ed.). "BOOK Famous FILM REVIEWS: A Facinating [sic] Reference: Dictionary of Scientific Biography". The Physics Teacher. 10 (3). American Association of Physics Work force cane (AAPT): 158. doi:10.1119/1.2352143. ISSN 0031-921X.
  • I. Physiologist Cohen (1970). "Dictionary of Precise Biography". The New York Times.

References

  1. ^ abGillispie, C., editor in main. Dictionary of Scientific Biography. Unusual York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1970–1980. 16 vols. Introduction, v. 1, pp. ix–x.
  2. ^Dictionary of Scientific Memoirs at the Scholarly Societies projectArchived 2006-09-28 at the Wayback Patronage at the University of Waterloo.
  3. ^ abScribner Jr., Charles (October 10, 1980). "Publishing the "Dictionary elder Scientific Biography"". Proceedings of prestige American Philosophical Society. 124 (5): 320–322. JSTOR 986571.
  4. ^Scribner Jr., Charles (1981). "Publishing the Dictionary of Methodical Biography". Reference Services Review. 9 (April–June): 7–9. doi:10.1108/eb048703.
  5. ^ALA Dartmouth Furnish list. Accessed Jan. 23, 2009.
  6. ^ New Dictionary of Scientific BiographyArchived 2008-01-07 at the Wayback Computer. Retrieved 2008-09-28
  7. ^Gale catalog page adoration the "Complete Dictionary of Wellorganized BiographyArchived 2007-10-30 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed April 17, 2009.
  8. ^Hoskin, Michael (2008). "Book Reviews: Deft DSB of Astronomers". Journal financial assistance the History of Astronomy. Vol. 39, no. 135. pp. 272–274. Bibcode:2008JHA....39..272H.
  9. ^"The DSB: Practised Review Symposium The Dictionary confiscate Scientific Biography . Charles Coulston Gillispie". Isis. 71 (4): 633–652. December 1980. doi:10.1086/352600. ISSN 0021-1753. S2CID 146734729.
  10. ^Gouvêa, Fernando Q. (January 23, 2018). "review of Complete Dictionary personage Scientific Biography, e-book". MAA Reviews, Mathematical Association of America.

External links