Spirits, Serpents & Skills: Science at the Margins in the Age of Darwin

作为该项目的一部分，研究人员正在继续进行研究和写作，以写出一本暂定书名为《烈酒》的书。《蛇，和头骨：达尔文时代的边缘科学》，由约翰·霍普金斯大学出版社签约编写，作为其新系列的一部分：科学史入门研究。媒体之所以发起这个系列，是因为科学史上很少有入门的文章。我们生活在一种科学几乎渗透到我们生活的方方面面的文化中。然而，可悲的是，大多数人都不知道科学与其他类型的知识有什么不同，他们对科学思想的历史发展缺乏任何认识。这个项目使用了三个历史案例研究--海相学、唯心论和海蛇--在达尔文进化论的背景下解决这些问题。它还将通过探索这些早期事件为当今研究提出的问题来说明历史如何有助于理解现在。该学科内的专业人员需要努力使他们的工作接触到更广泛的受众。这本书将通过提供极具娱乐性和可访问性的材料来讨论关于科学的理论、实践和内容的各种重要问题，从而有助于对学生和普通公众的教育。然而，这项工作不仅仅是为了让人们了解已经知道的东西。该项目有几个方面是相当原创的。首先，将进化论作为这三个边缘科学例子的联系纽带，这是一个新颖的想法，将进一步加深我们对维多利亚时代以及科学实践本质的理解。此外，对进化论的处理与早期的研究不同，早期的研究通常不将自然选择视为一门边缘科学。关于海蛇的研究是原创的，这个项目将允许作者撰写这些结果。虽然大多数学者已经讨论了一个具体的“伪科学”的例子，比较的方法将允许作者深入探索作为19世纪现象的边缘科学的兴趣。最后，探索这些历史事件与当今研究的相关性是一个原创性的想法，将对正在进行的关于科学和社会性质的讨论做出重大贡献。

As part of this project the investigator is continuing the research and writing required to produce a book tentatively titled Spirits. Serpents, and Skulls: Science at the Margins in the Age of Darwin, being prepared under contract from Johns Hopkins University Press as part of its new series: Introductory Studies in the History of Science. The press has initiated this series because very little has been written at an introductory level in the history of science. We live in a culture where science permeates virtually every aspect of our lives. However, most people are woefully ignorant of what distinguishes science from other types of knowledge and they lack any sense of the historical development of scientific ideas. This project uses three historical case studies -- phrenology, spiritualism, and sea serpents -- to address these issues within the context of Darwin's theory of evolution. It also will illustrate how history is useful for understanding the present by exploring questions that these earlier episodes raise for present day research.Professionals within the discipline need to make an effort to have their work reach a broader audience. This book will contribute to the education of students and the general public by providing highly entertaining and accessible material to discuss a variety of important questions concerning the theory, practice, and content of science. However, this work is not merely to make accessible what is already known. There are several aspects of the project which are quite original. First, to use evolutionary theory as the connecting link for these 3 examples of marginal science is a novel idea that will further our understanding of the Victorian era as well as of the nature of scientific practice. Furthermore, the treatment of evolution differs from earlier studies that do not usually see natural selection as a marginal science. The research on sea serpents is original and this project will allow the author to write up those results. While most scholars have dealt with one specific example of "pseudo-science," the comparative approach will allow the author to explore in depth the interest in marginal sciences as a 19th century phenomena. Finally, to explore the relevance of these historical episodes for present day research is an original idea and will contribute significantly to the ongoing discussions about the nature of science and society.