Public Knowledge:An Essay Concerning the Social Dimension of Science

Inthis1974bookapractisingscientistandgiftedexpositorsetsforthanexcitingpointofviewonthenatureofscienceandhowitworks.ProfessorZimanarguesthatthetruegoalofallscientificresearchistocontributetotheconsensusofuniversallyacceptedknowledge.Heexploresthephilosophical,psychologicalandsociologicalconsequencesoftheprinciple,andexplainshow,inpractice,theconsensusisestablishedandhowtheworkoftheindividualscientistbecomesapartofit.Theintellectualformofscientificknowledgeisdeterminedbytheneedforthescientisttocommunicatehisfindingsandtomakethemacceptabletoothers.ProfessorZiman'sessay,beingwritteninplainEnglish,andrequiringonlytheslenderestknowledgeofscience,can(andshould)bereadbyanyeducatedperson;ashesays'allgenuinescientificproceduresofthoughtandargumentareessentiallythesameasthoseofeverydaylife'.