The Return of Science: Evolution, History, and Theory

by Philip Pomper (Editor), David Gary Shaw

Social scientists, philosophers, and mathematicians have adapted evolutionary theory for use in a variety of disciplines for several decades, but until now historians have lagged behind. In The Return of Science , several distinguished historians join prominent scholars from a wide range of disciplines to debate the applications of evolutionary theory to cultural, social, economic, and political phenomena. The contributors offer original theoretical approaches and deal with issues such as the benefits, limits, and dangers of using evolutionary theory in the social sciences, the problem of defining units of evolution, the use of mathematics in historical study, and the appropriateness of chaos theory in historical study. Originally published as part of the journal History and Theory , these revised and updated essays are a valuable resource for historiographers.

320 pages, Paperback

First published May 14, 2002

About the author

Dr. Philip Pomper, Ph.D. (University of Chicago, 1965; M.A., 1961; B.A., 1959) is William F. Armstrong Professor Emeritus of History at Wesleyan University. His major fields are Russian History, Modern European History, and Psychohistory. He became an associate editor of the journal History and Theory in 1991.