Summary
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the origin of the concept and historical role of the scientist. The word "science" first appeared in the English language in 1340 and ever since its meaning has been in a state of flux. The notion of "the scientist" has had a similarly evolving history. For some, "the scientist" does not truly appear until after the Renaissance, others put its emergence much later than that. When did the words and concepts we recognise today take on their contemporary meaning? How has the role of the scientist, and our understanding of it, changed? Has science always been a rival to religion, or was it once an ally? And how has the scientist been perceived by the wider world – as a modern saint, the "priest of reason", or as a terrifying and amoral menace - the "mad scientist" of film and literature? With John Gribbin, Visiting Fellow in Astronomy, University of Sussex; Patricia Fara, Lecturer on the History and Philosophy of Science, Cambridge University; Hugh Pennington, Head of the Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Aberdeen.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Just before this BBC podcast gets underway, here's something you may not know. |
| 0:04.7 | My name's Linda Davies and I Commission Podcasts for BBC Sounds. |
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| 0:45.3 | I hope you enjoy the program. |
| 0:48.3 | Hello the word science first appeared in the English language in 1340 and ever since its meaning has been in a state of flux. |
| 0:55.0 | The notion of The Scientist has had a similarly evolving history. |
| 0:59.0 | For some the Scientist doesn't truly appear until after the Renaissance, |
| 1:02.0 | others put its emergence much later than that. |
| 1:05.7 | So when did the words and concepts who recognize today take on their contemporary meaning? |
| 1:09.7 | How has the role of the scientist and our understanding of it changed. Were the Greek |
| 1:13.9 | scientists? Has science always been a rival to religion or was it once an ally? And |
| 1:18.6 | how has the scientist been perceived by the wider world as a modern saint, the priest of learning as in Newton's time, the genius, Newton again, |
| 1:25.8 | or as a terrifying and amoral menace, the manch scientist of film and literature. |
| 1:31.1 | With me to discuss the scientist at John Gribbin, visiting fellow in astronomy at the |
| 1:35.1 | University of Sussex, an author of Science A History, 1543 to 2001. |
| 1:40.4 | Projizhifferra, who lectures on the history of science at Cambridge University and is author of Newton, |
| 1:45.2 | the Making of Genius, and Hugh Pennington, head of the Department of Medical Microbiology at |
| 1:50.1 | the University of Aberdeen. |
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