William Blake, the Single Vision, and Newton's Sleep: A History of Science, Poetry, and Progress

The book explores the history and philosophy of scientific ideas, arguing for the reestablishment of imagination as a central attribute of science to address ecological problems. It traces the schism between arts and sciences back to Plato and David Humes, and offers an alternate understanding of science with imagination.

Format: Hardback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 27 July 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

The history and philosophy of scientific ideas, as well as the role of poiesis and imagination in our understanding of science and progress, are extensively explored in this comprehensive work. By examining the views of William Blake and other poets in the context of twentieth-century philosophers such as Hannah Arendt, Jacob Bronowski, Martin Heidegger, Bruno Latour, and Karl Popper, among others, the book takes an eclectic approach, drawing on examples from biology, history, literature, philosophy, and economics. The book argues for the reestablishment of imagination as a central attribute of science, which can help to resolve some of our most pressing ecological problems, as seen in the context of science and technology studies and what is loosely developing into the discipline of environmental humanities.

Today, influential scientists looking at consciousness often dismiss imagination, regarding it at best as a mere epiphenomenon, a ghost in the machine, or at worst non-existent and to be denied. In this book, Keith G. Davies, who sees C. P. Snow's debate on the separation of the arts and sciences as alive and well, traces the schism back to Plato but more importantly to the seventeenth century and David Hume's removal of imagination in the conjunction between our observation of causes and their effects. Through extensive research and the use of poetry, this book offers an alternate understanding of science with imagination and its continued significance in today's world.

This book is an excellent reference book for postgraduate students, professional researchers, William Blake scholars, and the pejoratively labelled "interested laymen" with concerns in ecology and environmental humanities. It offers a new perspective on the history of science and the role of imagination within this field, making it a valuable resource for anyone seeking to deepen their understanding of these subjects.

Weight: 453g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032459172