A History of Science in Society is a concise overview that introduces complex ideas in a non-technical fashion. Ede and Cormack trace the history of the changing place of science in society and explore the link between the pursuit of knowledge and the desire to make that knowledge useful. Volume I covers the origins of natural philosophy in the ancient world to the Scientific Revolution.

New topics in this edition include astronomy and mathematics in ancient Mayan society, science and technology in ancient India and China, and Islamic cartography. New "Connections" features provide in-depth exploration of the ways science and society interconnect. The text is accompanied by 27 colour maps and diagrams, and 4 colour plates highlighting key concepts and events. Essay questions, chapter timelines, a further readings section, and an index provide additional support for students. A companion reader edited by the authors, A History of Science in Society: A Reader, is also available.

Andrew Ede is Associate Professor of History at the University of Alberta and the author of The Rise and Decline of Colloid Science in North America, 1900-1935: The Neglected Dimension and The Chemical Element: A Historical Perspective.

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Lesley B. Cormack is Deputy Vice-Chancellor & Principal, UBC’s Okanagan campus and past dean of arts. Her research interests include history of geography in early modern England, images of empire, and the social context of the scientific revolution. She is the author of Charting an Empire: Geography at the English Universities, 1580-1620, co-author of A History of Science in Society: From Philosophy to Utility, and co-editor of Mathematical Practitioners and the Transformation of Natural Knowledge in Early Modern Europe.

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