Overview

Looking behind widely held beliefs about the myth of the scientific enterprise, Inside Science is a rare examination of how science really functions. Drawing on his 25 years of experience as the founding editor of Cell, the worlds leading journal in biology, Benjamin Lewin questions the dogma that scientific papers describe how research was actually done, describes the distortions caused by pressure to publish, and considers the effects of changes in the way science is communicated as we move ever further into the digital era. The view that science protects itself by identifying and excluding work that is not reproducible is rigorously examined, as is the prevalence of fraud in science. Lewin argues that the move from research done in small teams to the much larger scale of big science has the potential to change the nature of science itself. He asks if science can continue in its present form or if new methods of evaluation will be needed for science to function in the future. Lewin brings these general principles to life by considering the history of the genetics revolution, from the discovery of the double helical structure of DNA to the sequencing of the human genome and the possibilities of gene editing today. History shows us that each period of progress in science relied on dogmas that often advanced but sometimes retarded progress, and that views of reality often changed suddenly and dramatically. One example is the current critical reassessment of epigenetics that is raising the possibility that there may be factors in inheritance extraneous to DNA. The book concludes by asking if the reductionist manifesto that has dominated biology for the past half century can continue to hold, and revisits the much-debated question: What is science?

Full Product Details

9781621825012

Table of Contents

Reviews

"""Persuasive and thought-provoking, Benjamin Lewin's Inside Science examines how big data is changing biological research...With a measured view drawing on his twenty-five years as the founding editor of a leading bioscience journal, Lewin considers what is lost in the (perhaps inevitable) shift away from hypothesis-driven science toward data-driven science...While not alarmist, the book raises provocative questions: Are scientists becoming technicians rather than critical thinkers? Are contemporary researchers so averse to 'failing' that they won't question established dogma? Does the 'publish or perish' mentality encourage quantity over quality? Can questions about patents, fraud, and ethics keep pace?...Inside Science is a brilliant analysis of the history of the scientific method alongside a clarion call to consider the changes underway with big data and AI.""DLForeword Reviews""Fascinating, informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking...An extraordinary study that will have immense appeal to academia and the scientific community. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented...Especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, college, and university library Biology & History of Science collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.""DLMidwest Book Review"

"""Persuasive and thought-provoking, Benjamin Lewin's Inside Science examines how big data is changing biological research...With a measured view drawing on his twenty-five years as the founding editor of a leading bioscience journal, Lewin considers what is lost in the (perhaps inevitable) shift away from hypothesis-driven science toward data-driven science...While not alarmist, the book raises provocative questions: Are scientists becoming technicians rather than critical thinkers? Are contemporary researchers so averse to 'failing' that they won't question established dogma? Does the 'publish or perish' mentality encourage quantity over quality? Can questions about patents, fraud, and ethics keep pace?...Inside Science is a brilliant analysis of the history of the scientific method alongside a clarion call to consider the changes underway with big data and AI.""--Foreword Reviews ""Fascinating, informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking...An extraordinary study that will have immense appeal to academia and the scientific community. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented...Especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, college, and university library Biology & History of Science collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.""--Midwest Book Review"

Author Information

Benjamin Lewin obtained his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Cambridge, England. He became the first Editor of Nature New Biology in 1971, and then worked at the National Cancer Institute from 1972 to 1973. He founded Cell journal in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1974 and remained Editor of Cell until 1999. Cell became the top-ranked journal in the life sciences. Dr. Lewin is also the author of the best-selling Genes textbook and a series of books on wine.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available