Magic, science, and civilization cover

Magic, science, and civilization

by Jacob Bronowski

Adapted from the Bampton lectures delivered by the author at Columbia University shortly before his death, Bronowski here is concerned with the humanistic side of science. He emphasizes not only the idea that science is a human enterprise but that science and humanism have grown side by side and jointly since the Renaissance. In particular, he argues that the death of magic between 1500-1700 played a major role in the development of science and humanism.

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Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?