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The Philosophical Breakfast Club
Four Remarkable Friends Who Transformed Science and Changed the World
by
Laura J. Snyder
Published in USA Feb 2011,
448 pages.
Rated of 5
by Karen S. (Minneapolis, MN) The Philosophical Breakfast Club
This was a tough read for me, and that is disappointing because at first glance, it seems it would be a fascinating read. A bit too academic for my tastes.
Rated of 5
by Therese X. (CALERA, AL) A Great Visit with the Philosophical Breakfast Club
In June, 1833, the British Association for the Advancement of Science met at Cambridge University in England with members from all over the world. William Whewell of Lancashire addressed the gathering and spoke out especially for astronomy as the”Queen of the Sciences” promoting “facts and theory” calling those who pursued these as philosophers of which he was pleased to be a member. A strident voice from the audience, none other than the Romantic poet, Coleridge, called Whewell and his “philosophers” to task for using a term to which they were not entitled. They were doing experiments,so to speak “getting their hands dirty”. As a “real metaphysician” Coleridge no longer permitted them this noble term. Whewell, with respect, genially accepted that the word having being taken by a loftier group, his men would by analogy with the "artist", form the word "scientist". Thus a new word, and profession, was coined which would catch on in decades to come.
Along with William Whewell, who came from humble beginnings, were three other “scientists”, Charles Babbage, John Herschel and Richard Jones, a burst of discoveries and knowledge would change the nineteenth century to such a degree that these four very different men from varied backgrounds would remain friends for over fifty years as a result of their friendships formed at Cambridge. John Herschel, son of a famous astronomer father, was also a musician who composed symphonies and discovered a new planet! The first mechanical computer, invented by Charles Babbage, described ingeniously by the author lead the way to our modern computer technology. Richard Jones ,a Welshman with language skills studied law but became a minister instead and contributed more to raise what was called “political economy” to the more legitimate science of Economics. These and many other inventions surrounded the four inquiring minds who were part of the fifty year surge of progress of their time that parallels the past fifty years of our own modern age. This multi-biography is well-researched and many-layered but remains a fascinating read beyond the discoveries hinted at in this mere review. Especially on a cold winter’s night, it’s a pleasure to be transported back to a time that was thought to be slower and quieter but was real and dynamic, a great bedside companion or group discussion book for those who like their history and science blended with zest and humanity.
Rated of 5
by Karen M. (Great Falls, VA) The Philosophical Breakfast Club
Make no mistake about this book, it is a scholarly work, heavily footnoted, and in my opinion reads more like a dissertation than a nonfiction book for the public. The subject matter is the birth of the profession of the "scientist," formerly known as the "philosopher." In the early 1800's, four young men, William Whewell, Charles Babbage, John Herschel and Richard Jones, met as students at Cambridge and decided it was time to change the world. They arranged for regular "breakfasts" to address the importance of Blaise Pascal and Francis Bacon's discoveries, to carry out reforms in science and math seen in the last two centuries, and to create a role for both observation and reasoning in science.
The author, Laura Snyder fills the book with the lives and accomplishments of all the key players at the time, including Samuel Coleridge, Ada Lovelace, and Lord Byron, and how their paths continued to intersect. But the story is dry and requires an attention span that I do not possess. I am accustomed to reading dry material (I'm a lawyer), I've studied the society and writings of the 1900's, and I'm fascinated by the history of science. And yet, the writing did not catch fire at any point in the book. As an example of the writing style, under the promising chapter title of "Mechanical Toys," we learn that the "obstacle for Schikard's machine was that the force required to execute a ripple carry tended to be so much as to destroy the gear wheels. If a 1 is added to 999,999, then the force of the initial movement of the rightmost wheel had to be enough to turn all the other wheels up to the last one. Babbage realized that there had to be a way of allowing the carry in a different way, without the transmission of the initial force, in order to enable a calculating device to work on numbers twenty, thirty, forty, or even fifty digits long."
The author, Ms. Snyder, writes in a very detailed, serious, scientific style. There are no highs, no lows, no character development, no pacing, no descriptive phrases, no tension, no resolution, and no narrative voice that carries us through this very slow book. Most important, there is no sufficient levity to brighten the bleak process of plodding through the chapters. If you are hoping for user-friendly writing present in the writings of Brian Greene, Stephen Hawkings, or Dana Sovel, this is not the book for you.
Rated of 5
by WDH (New Port Richey, FL) Well Researched, A Bit Dry
This book is well-researched and it's obvious the author was interested in her subjects and has a great vocabulary. The book provides a look at four influential men and covers brief information about their upbringing, places in society and their families. The heart of their story begins when they meet in college and discover they have 'like minds' then follows them as they formulate and promote the idea of what the 'art of science' and being a 'scientist' means. (The idea for the word 'scientist' stuck with me and is probably what I'll remember about this book.) They were brave, adventurous, ambitious men who were full of ideas and willing to take risks in the name of progress. While I'm glad I read this because I learned about early science/scientists and four people that I didn't know much about, this was not an easy read by any means - you really have to stay focused and follow the details in order to remain connected the storyline.
Rated of 5
by Marsha S. (Nags Head, NC) The Philosophical Breakfast Club
This extremely well-researched and written book goes beyond just an account of four extraordinary men and their accomplishments. It provides rich descriptions of their personal lives and the events that affected them emotionally and personally. Since I spent my career in the Information Technology industry, I was particularly fascinated by the sections dealing with Charles Babbage, but the lives of all are intertwined and each of their ideas influenced the others.
This is not a book for everyone, and I found that I had to read it in small sections. Like a great meal as opposed to fast food, sipped and savored.
Rated of 5
by Lesley F. (San Diego, CA) Our history book club will definitely read this
I loved "The Philosophical Breakfast Club" and our social history book club will definitely be reading it! It is right up our alley both because of our interest in science of the modern era and the social connections the author draws.
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of 5
by Karen S. (Minneapolis, MN) 
of 5
by Therese X. (CALERA, AL) 
of 5
by Karen M. (Great Falls, VA) 
of 5
by WDH (New Port Richey, FL) 
