Natural Science Books at the Living with Nature Center

Natural Science* Books 

at the Living with Nature Center

"Natural science will in time incorporate into itself the science of man, just as the science of man will incorporate into itself natural science: there will be one science." -  Karl Marx 

Dr Abe V Rotor

  

The subject of ecology is relatively new.  Ecology emerged as the pioneer in the field of biology in the twentieth century, breaking its impasse as just a chapter of biology.  Traditionally biology was about living things, their diversity and taxonomy, life cycles taking place in nature, like water cycle and organic-inorganic cycle.  It was the dawn of many fields like anthropology, phycology, entomology and paleontology.  Then in the seventies biology rose in importance as core subject of ecology and later, genetic engineering.  Many books like these shown below were printed with the state-of-the art of printing.  It was the golden age of books.  

 

Books are generally expensive and rare in certain subjects.  Even reprints are limited.  It is the computer that brought the world of knowledge into homes and individual users.  Today whole libraries and sets of encyclopedia are virtually in "the palm of the hand."  Though the computer brought books to its sunset, many people realize that knowledge still has its roots in books.  Books are the anchor of history, the

repository of knowledge. the keeper of tradition and values, imprimatur of human achievements.  And books are coming back.

 

"Books, books, books, but not a piece to read."  Adapted from the Mariner's Tale, "Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink."  It is indeed a big challenge to education and media.

"If spiritual science is to do the same for spirit that natural science has done for nature, it must investigate quite differently from the latter. It must find ways and means of penetrating into the sphere of the spiritual, a domain which cannot be perceived with outer physical senses nor apprehended with the intellect which is bound to the brain."

 -  Rudolf Steiner 

These are popular publications in the seventies and early eighties about the living world which I used in the academe as professor.  They supplement heavy readings of technical works, and are useful in outdoor lectures and demonstrations. One drawback though is that these are foreign books, and may not apply to local conditions.. 

 

These subjects (above), otherwise too "scientific" are within

 the grasp of general readers, and they are entertaining, too.

 

These two books - Life on Earth and The Wonders of Life on Earth - are large and heavy, printed on glossy paper in full colors and easy-to-read types and fonts.  They are among my precious collections. Now and then I go over their pages like in an armchair travelogue.  A number of photographs and illustrations have inspired me as a painter and muralist on the subject of nature, from endangered animals to landscapes.

, 

"Travel stories teach geography; insect stories lead the child into natural science; and so on. The teacher, in short, can use reading to introduce her pupils to the most varied subjects; and the moment they have been thus started, they can go on to any limit guided by the single passion for reading." - Maria Montessori 

*Natural science, as distinct from social science, is generally divided into two: physical science (physics, chemistry, geology, and the like) and biological science or simply biology (botany, zoology, entomology, phycology, and the like).  However,  integration of the two, and with social science is the trend today with expanding knowledge and application.