Peter Dear

In this discussion with Peter Dear, an emeritus professor of history at Cornell University, the complexities of scientific evolution are unveiled. Peter argues against the simplistic notion of linear progress in science, emphasizing its cultural and contingent nature. He explores the transformative impact of the Renaissance and the 19th century on modern practices. The conversation touches on the historical significance of experimentation, the interplay between natural philosophy and practical science, and how figures like Newton and Darwin shaped our understanding of science today.

Peter Dear, historian of science and Cornell professor emeritus, reflects on the shift from natural philosophy to modern science. Short takes cover Newton and theology, the myth of a single scientific method, Linnaeus and taxonomy, Faraday’s hands-on experiments, the rise of physics, Laplace and the bell curve, and how scientific training and institutions reshaped knowledge.