Science in history (Bernal, John D.) - Journal of Chemical Education

Journal of Chemical Education · Advanced Search .... Science in history (Bernal, John D.) Ralph E. Oesper ... Published online 1 August 1966. Publishe...
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To audyse the contents of this m o n w menlal book in detail is obviondy impossible. At best a review can serve to inform readers of THIS JOURNAL of its existence. In this age of specialization partieulm individual, (.he aubhor assumes there is always an imminent danger of an obligation. I t is my opinion that in scientific pamehidism and this hook and t,his instance the obligation required a others of its kind serve as excellent antifairer treatment. of the approach discussed. H. B a n o ~ o mTHOMPSON dotes. Furthermore, i t is well for all Second, in disoussing (p. 47) the reUniversily of Michigan scientists to he aware of the social impact, ported dipole moments of Clz, (CN)., d m Arbor of their activities and of the interaction of NgOc H20z,and N?H4: "The C1, molecule social and scientific forces. is nowpolar thanks to i k linear symmetry, I t should he noted that with tho uw and the same is true of (CN).. The reparalleled growth of the sciences in the Science in History maining molecules are not even planar, so present century, the largest spetion ir l.hwt themoment.; of the component gronps ,John D. Bemal, Birbeck College, devoted to this period. The sorial science\ do not art aloug the same line and so they University of London. 3rd ed. Hawm e likewise stressed, so thst the reader fail to cancel one another." To begin with, t,horn Books, Inc., New York, 196.5. will he inslntctod along l i n that ~ ~~ormnlly Nz04 should have B zero moment if the xviii 1039 pp. Figs. and tables. do not come within the scientific amit:bonding around each nitrogen is planar, 14 X 21.5 em. $12.95. ulum. The extensive Bibliography aIregardless of the over-all malec~rlar tests Lo the author's widspread inlerests. This is s. big book about a big subject. symmetry. Furt,her, N90a has been r e On the negative side this reviewer was In the author's words, "This book is an ported as planar in the literature several irked by the mthar's pronounred a & attempt to describe and interpret the Finally, the dipole moment v s l ~ ~ e times. horonee to the nnti-capitdkt school of relations between the development of under discussiou for N20r (0.37D) is one thonght and his frequent denuneintio~raf science and that of other aspects of of two reported s t about the same t i m e the American practice of that ideology. human history." I t is not a history of the the other value, determined using a. much Ire lauds Communism, both the Soviet sciences, bnt necessarily much of the s u b wider temperature range, was zero. and Chinese varieties, and glosses over or ject mst,ter falls into that category. Had Third, in the first pages of the Inst ignores the evils that their regimes have it not been for the author's skill in comchapter, there appears an unfortunate hrought to many people. Despite this pressing the fundamental facts marking implication t h s t qurtntum-mechanicd obnoxious factor, the book is nevertheless the milestones in the history of t,he various "forces" exist that are not electrostat~irin rccammended because any scientiitxwrthy sciences, this book would have been even nature. This misunderstanding seems of the title will not refuse t o listen to tho larger. Professor Bernal is a physicist widespread, and is painid to teachers of other side. and crystallogrilpher, hut he has demqortntnm theory. I t might be better not to onstrated s, remarkable knowledge of RALPH E. OESI'EII add to the fog of mystery and mperatition chemistry, biochemistry, mathematics, L'niversily of Cinrinnnli l.hat surrounds qosntum chemistry in t,he biology, etc., as well as history and Cincinnnli, Oliio minds of toomany students. meiology, d l areas important to the goal I n summary, this is a. needed and useful (Conlinrwrl on page A866) of tho hook. book in nn important area. I t is well

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written and assembled, and should he considered by t,he tesrher of molecular structure. However, the instructor may need to caution the naive student against its moreglib simplifications. This, in turn, may make its contribution to thestudent's education.

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Journd o f Chemical Educafion