Overview

Science and literature have always been strange bedfellows. Like puzzle pieces, they fit because they're different. Some of the greatest works of world literature have been inspired by the marvels of the scientific world. Scientists have written works of the imagination. Even formal scientific writings have been known to employ rhetoric. There is a tendency to think of literature—and the humanities in general—as having little to do with science. Yet scholars have conducted fruitful studies of the history and philosophy of science. With the rise of technology, scholars have also applied scientific analysis to the study of literature and the creative process. The intersection of scientific and humanistic inquiry is finally being mapped. This volume includes more than 650 A-Z entries on topics and themes in science and literature, significant writers, key scientists, seminal works, and important theories and methodologies. This reference defines the rapidly emerging interdisciplinary field of literature and science. An introductory essay traces the history of the field, its growing reputation, and the current state of research. Broad in scope, the volume covers world literature from its beginnings to the present day and illuminates the role of science in literature and literary studies. A wide range of experts contributed entries to this volume, each of which concludes with a brief bibliography. The entire volume closes with a list of works for further reading.

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9780313305382

Table of Contents

Reviews

.,. a welcome and seminal addition to both academic and community library reference collections. -Reviewer's Bookwatch

This encyclopedia is intended primarily for undergraduates and instructors exploring the interrelations of the humanities and sciences. Its 650 signed entries range in length from 50 to 3,500 words on topics and themes linking science and literature, significant writers and scientists, seminal works, and important theories and methodologies....the volume is valuable and needed for its intended audience and helps structure the limits of a boundary-defying field. Recommended. College and university libraries as an undergraduate and teaching resource. -Choice ... a welcome and seminal addition to both academic and community library reference collections. -Reviewer's Bookwatch The age-old polarity between the humanities may disappear as we forge ahead into the twety-first century, and the Encyclopedia of Literature and Science may silence any skeptics among us....Gossin has drawn a perimeter around the complexity of the discipline. -Reference & User Services Quarterly Literature and science traditionally come together in the science fiction genre, but this volume shows that the two disciplines merge in other, diverse ways. Most academic libraries will need a copy of this encyclopedia, and large public libraries should consider adding it to their collection. -Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin ?...a welcome and seminal addition to both academic and community library reference collections.?-Reviewer's Bookwatch ?The age-old polarity between the humanities may disappear as we forge ahead into the twety-first century, and the Encyclopedia of Literature and Science may silence any skeptics among us....Gossin has drawn a perimeter around the complexity of the discipline.?-Reference & User Services Quarterly ?Literature and science traditionally come together in the science fiction genre, but this volume shows that the two disciplines merge in other, diverse ways. Most academic libraries will need a copy of this encyclopedia, and large public libraries should consider adding it to their collection.?-Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin ?This encyclopedia is intended primarily for undergraduates and instructors exploring the interrelations of the humanities and sciences. Its 650 signed entries range in length from 50 to 3,500 words on topics and themes linking science and literature, significant writers and scientists, seminal works, and important theories and methodologies....the volume is valuable and needed for its intended audience and helps structure the limits of a boundary-defying field. Recommended. College and university libraries as an undergraduate and teaching resource.?-Choice .,. a welcome and seminal addition to both academic and community library reference collections. -Reviewer's Bookwatch

Author Information

PAMELA GOSSIN is Associate Professor of Arts and Humanities at The University of Texas at Dallas.

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