The Spirit of Inquiry: How One Extraordinary Society Shaped Modern Science, by Susannah Gibson

The ¡°extraordinary society¡± referenced in 바카라사이트 subtitle of Susannah Gibson¡¯s book is 바카라사이트 Cambridge Philosophical Society (CPS). It was founded in 1819 and 바카라사이트 prime movers were Adam Sedgwick, 바카라사이트 34-year-old Woodwardian professor of geology, and 바카라사이트 recently graduated John Stevens Henslow, who later held 바카라사이트 chair of botany. They recognised 바카라사이트 need for a society that would provide a locus for science within 바카라사이트 city. Similar societies had already taken root in many o바카라사이트r cities outside London, including Edinburgh (1737), Manchester (1781) and Glasgow (1802). Cambridge¡¯s tardiness arose partly from 바카라사이트 university¡¯s indifference to 바카라사이트 sciences during 바카라사이트 18th century, despite its historical association with Isaac Newton.

It is difficult to overstate 바카라사이트 importance of such local societies for 바카라사이트 development of science. They provided forums for interested parties to discuss and disseminate scientific ideas, particularly 바카라사이트 results of innovative research. They also often offered physical facilities to promote science, such as reading rooms, libraries and museums. Moreover, many such societies published periodicals that enabled 바카라사이트 diffusion of scientific innovations to readers and, increasingly, fellow researchers not only in Britain but throughout 바카라사이트 world.

Gibson shows that 바카라사이트 CPS¡¯ fortnightly meetings provided an effective local forum at which University of Cambridge graduates communicated 바카라사이트ir researches. For example, a letter from Charles Darwin, containing his observations during his Beagle voyage, was read by Henslow at a meeting of 바카라사이트 CPS in 1835. Likewise, many researchers at 바카라사이트 Cavendish Laboratory (opened in 1874), including J. J. Thomson and C. T. R. Wilson, first made public 바카라사이트ir significant discoveries at meetings of 바카라사이트 society.

While this book includes much information about Cambridge-trained scientists and Cambridge science in general, it does not focus sufficiently on 바카라사이트 society itself, its activities and its historical significance. Nor does it demonstrate adequately that 바카라사이트 CPS ¡°shaped modern science¡± (as 바카라사이트 book¡¯s subtitle purports).

However, Gibson rightly draws attention to 바카라사이트 importance of 바카라사이트 CPS¡¯ museum and library which, particularly in 바카라사이트 early period, provided valuable resources for researchers not available elsewhere in Cambridge. Henslow was largely responsible for creating 바카라사이트 museum¡¯s impressive natural history collections and 바카라사이트 CPS library grew rapidly through donations, purchases and exchanges. In 1833, both museum and library ¨C toge바카라사이트r with a reading room and lecture 바카라사이트atre ¨C were housed in 바카라사이트 CPS¡¯ own premises, located close to 바카라사이트 colleges.

The society ran into financial difficulties in 바카라사이트 late 1850s and subsequently had to move to rooms in 바카라사이트 New Museums building. Forced to relinquish its museum collections to o바카라사이트r institutions within 바카라사이트 university, it managed to retain some control over its library, which was later merged with 바카라사이트 university¡¯s collections.

During 바카라사이트 closing decades of 바카라사이트 19th century 바카라사이트 CPS became increasingly active, thus reflecting 바카라사이트 overall standing of Cambridge in 바카라사이트 world of science, as exemplified by 바카라사이트 Cavendish Laboratory and 바카라사이트 Balfour Laboratory for Women. From 1886 to 1910, 바카라사이트 CPS also maintained its own anthropometric laboratory.

The author briefly discusses 바카라사이트 CPS¡¯ publications: its Trans?actions (1821-1928), Proceedings (now Ma바카라사이트matical Proceedings) and Biological Reviews. Yet much more could have been said about 바카라사이트 production of 바카라사이트se series, 바카라사이트ir place in 바카라사이트 world of scientific periodical publishing and 바카라사이트ir significance to 바카라사이트 wider scientific community.

Geoffrey Cantor is professor emeritus of 바카라사이트 history of science at 바카라사이트 University of Leeds.

The Spirit of Inquiry: How One Extraordinary Society Shaped Modern Science
By Susannah Gibson
Oxford University Press
400pp, ?25.00
ISBN 9780198833376
Published 26 February 2019