Failure: Why Science Is so Successful

The general public has a glorified  view of the pursuit of scientific research. However, the idealized  perception of science as a rule-based, methodical system for  accumulating facts could not be further from the truth. Modern science  involves the idiosyncratic, often bumbling search for understanding in  uncharted territories, full of wrong turns, false findings, and the  occasional remarkable success.

In his sequel to Ignorance (Oxford University Press, 2012), Stuart Firestein shows us that the  scientific enterprise is riddled with mistakes and errors - and that  this is a good thing! Failure: Why Science Is So Successful delves  into the origins of scientific research as a process that relies upon  trial and error, one which inevitably results in a hefty dose of  failure. In fact, scientists throughout history have relied on failure  to guide their research, viewing mistakes as a necessary part of the  process. Citing both historical and contemporary examples, Firestein  strips away the distorted view of science as infallible to provide the  public with a rare, inside glimpse of the messy realities of the  scientific process.

An insider's view of how science is actually  carried out, this book will delight anyone with an interest in science,  from aspiring scientists to curious general listeners. Accessible and  entertaining, Failure illuminates the greatest and most productive adventure of human history, with all the missteps along the way.