Authors:
Includes more than 40 papers written by a former NASA Chief Historian
Analyzes topics in cosmology and astronomy from an interdisciplinary lens
Covers all ongoing, major themes in the new field of philosophy of astronomy
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Table of contents (42 chapters)
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Front Matter
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Part I
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Front Matter
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Part II
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Front Matter
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Part III
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Front Matter
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About this book
In this comprehensive and interdisciplinary volume, former NASA Chief Historian Steven Dick reflects on the exploration of space, astrobiology and its implications, cosmic evolution, astronomical institutions, discovering and classifying the cosmos, and the philosophy of astronomy. The unifying theme of the book is the connection between cosmos and culture, or what Carl Sagan many years ago called the “cosmic connection.”
As both an astronomer and historian of science, Dr. Dick has been both a witness to and a participant in many of the astronomical events of the last half century. This collection of papers presents his reflections over the last forty years in a way accessible to historians, philosophers, and scientists alike. From the search for alien life to ongoing space exploration efforts, readers will find this volume full of engaging topics relevant to science, society, and our collective future on planet Earth and beyond.Reviews
“Steven Dick’s writing is always very interesting, thoughtful, and well-researched, and he is very good at covering broad themes. … Much of this book is an interesting read, and it forms a very useful reference work … .” (Richard McKim, The Observatory, Vol. 141 (1282), June, 2021)
“Steve Dick not only makes accessible a significant portion of his oeuvre, but provides perceptive contemporary commentary on how the many questions and issues he has addressed over the years in the areas of the history of astronomy, the taxonomy of astronomical practice, the continuing search for life elsewhere in the Universe, and the question of the ubiquity of life itself, have fared, through his efforts and those of many others.” (David H. DeVorkin, Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage, Vol. 23 (3), 2020)
Authors and Affiliations
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Ashburn, USA
Steven J. Dick
About the author
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Space, Time, and Aliens
Book Subtitle: Collected Works on Cosmos and Culture
Authors: Steven J. Dick
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-41614-0
Publisher: Springer Cham
eBook Packages: Physics and Astronomy, Physics and Astronomy (R0)
Copyright Information: Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-030-41613-3Published: 12 May 2020
Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-41616-4Published: 12 May 2021
eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-41614-0Published: 11 May 2020
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XXII, 799
Number of Illustrations: 56 b/w illustrations, 71 illustrations in colour
Topics: Astrobiology, Cosmology, History of Science