[Heeyoon Kim's Bookshelf] The History of Science Told by a Science Major to Humanities Students

Newton's "Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy." It consists of three volumes and was written in Latin. It is considered one of the books that epitomize the Western Scientific Revolution and contains Newton's laws of motion and the law of universal gravitation, which form the foundation of physics. Photo by Wikipedia

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] Last year, Japan produced its 24th Nobel laureate in the field of science. Akira Yoshino, who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the development of the lithium-ion battery, was the recipient. In 2018, Japan also produced a laureate for two consecutive years when Tasuku Honjo received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discovering cancer immunotherapy. Japan has thus established itself as a Nobel powerhouse in the natural sciences, second only to the United States. Perhaps for this reason, the overall perception and system regarding science and technology in Japanese society are very solid. The policies and culture of academia and government supporting scientists' research are also steady and healthy. The author's unique(?) background and research trajectory are also based on this fertile ground.

After earning his Ph.D. in physics at Waseda University in Japan and working as a teaching assistant, the author, Keita Koyama, failed to secure a professorship when his assistant contract expired. Frustrated by an uncertain future as a researcher, he immediately applied and was fortunately accepted for a full-time natural sciences faculty position in the social sciences department of his alma mater. Entering an unprecedented path teaching natural sciences to liberal arts students, he soon immersed himself in the study of the history of science based on the life mission of liberal arts and science integration. With a distinctive perspective and approach befitting a physicist, he succinctly organized the humanities-oriented history of science and took the podium. Since then, his free-roaming trajectory crossing science and humanities has become a clear and detailed guide map to the history of science.

The book begins with the story of the "Origins of Modern Science" by British historian Herbert Butterfield. The scientific revolution, which started from the universe and light, opens with Nicolaus Copernicus’s "On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres," which rediscovered heliocentrism. His claim that the Earth rotates and the Sun is at the center of the universe was revolutionary and transformative, but the process of this idea was closer to philosophy than science. When expressing the universe, Copernicus’s top priorities were beauty and harmony.

Galileo Galilei personally made a telescope and opened the era of "telescopic astronomy" by observing stars in the night sky rather than terrestrial objects through its lens. Observing the universe and the moon with the naked eye, Galileo compiled his observations in "The Starry Messenger," noting the moon’s surface, which resembled the Earth’s rugged terrain. He argued for the Earth’s movement (heliocentrism), no different from other celestial bodies, and gradually, the geocentric theory declined.

Isaac Newton’s masterpiece "Principia," which marked a milestone in the history of physics, almost never saw the light of day due to two absurd incidents. Twenty years before the first edition was published in 1687, Newton had already completed the basic content of the book. However, after a fierce debate on optics with senior scientist Robert Hooke at the Royal Society, Newton was deeply hurt and postponed the publication of his new work.

Meanwhile, fellow scientist Edmond Halley asked, "If gravity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance, what would the planetary orbits be like?" Newton immediately answered "elliptical" and said, "I calculated that 20 years ago." Halley, amazed, encouraged Newton to publish it even now, and Newton reluctantly completed the manuscript. However, the Royal Society had just spent a huge budget on publishing the book "The History of Fishes," leaving no funds for publication. When Newton was unable to publish the book, wealthy Halley stepped in and financed the publication out of his own pocket, allowing "Principia" to finally see the light of day.

Newton’s fundamental mechanics underwent a paradigm shift 300 years later through Albert Einstein’s "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies," followed by Edwin Hubble’s "Realm of Nebulae," and the "Double Helix" uncovering the secrets of human DNA. The aftershocks of the scientific revolution spread widely from physics to astronomy and biology.

James Watson, who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine at the age of 34 for the "Double Helix," candidly revealed the scientists’ hidden desire for self-glorification. The author points out that underlying this is the race for priority in scientific research and the fight to gain honor. Beyond pure truth-seeking and cold, detached academic research, the author boldly and honestly reads the acts of ordinary humans full of self-glorification who want recognition from academia and society as also part of science. Following the kind and intuitive guide, one gains a pleasant perspective on human history, along with a sudden regretful reflection on the current reality of our science community, which is overly focused on practical technology. When will we be able to meet an immortal scientist?

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.