What if unrestricted exploration of the world, the seas, and the skies was not the best thing for us? What if we were limiting the pursuit of science even as we seeki to understand?
Roberts writes a compelling comparison of two scientists and researchers who set the foundations for today's quest to know - while showing how their time and history both boosted and limited their influence.
He warns about the price of the drive to know more (and more and more). He exposes the human cost of competition, self-accreditation and pride. And he prods the limitations of culture, small-mindedness, and claims to know everything.
The stories of Buffon and Linnaeus and their separate spheres is interesting and not a little biased toward one above the other. If you like tracing how knowledge develops, you'll love this one.
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