Frederick Gregory has narrated 2 audiobooks on Listento.it by 2 authors, with an average listener rating of 4★ across 10 ratings. The most-rated is The History of Science: 1700-1900.
The History of Science: 1700-1900
Summary
The scientific theories that were first discovered and made public in the years 1700-1900 are some of the most pivotal in history. Landmark theories of planetary motion, the workings of nature, and the speed of light were all ideas that took the world by storm. Now you can share in that story of discovery in a series of 36 lectures designed to give you a rock-solid understanding of the great discoveries of Newton, Darwin, Franklin, Pasteur, and so many others. You’ll see clearly how these great thinkers brought their ideas into a world and a time that resisted them, gaining a new admiration for their achievements in an atmosphere where scientific advancement had to struggle against established ways of both scientific and religious thinking. While many presentations of scientific history often neglect to consider its context - the societies and cultures in which our most influential "natural philosophers" (the term scientist didn’t exist until the mid-19th century) made their contributions - these lectures put that context in the forefront where it belongs, exploring how dynamics of time and place help determine the questions that get asked and the directions scientists pursue in response. The result is a series that adds invaluable historical depth and dimension to your study of science. As much about history as science - and often far more so, with the focus on the climate and process of scientific discovery rather than the science itself - this course will enhance your ability to see contemporary scientific events in a vividly informed context. PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.
©2003 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2003 The Great Courses
The Darwinian Revolution
Summary
Published 150 years ago, Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species - the text that introduced the world to natural selection - is among a handful of books that have changed the world. But the route to that status has been surprisingly circuitous and uncertain. Darwin's profoundly revolutionary message has often been misunderstood, as have his own views on evolution, the intellectual background that led to them, and the turbulent history of their reception. Now, in 24 absorbing lectures by an award-winning teacher, you learn the remarkable story of Darwin's ideas, how scientists and religious leaders reacted to them, and the sea change in human thought that resulted. You'll learn how Darwin arrived at his theory of natural selection-the idea that those members of a species best equipped to survive will tend to outlast others, thus changing the species over time-very slowly and cautiously. For he was all too aware of the intellectual dynamite inherent in its implication of no divine intervention being necessary for a rich diversity of life forms on earth. And you'll see how Darwin worked out the details of his theory not only by building on both his own observations and the insights of others, but also through amazing leaps in the face of apparently contrary evidence. You'll also see how the firestorm of religious criticism Darwin's theory faced has scarcely subsided to this day, with Professor Gregory bringing this controversy up to date by carefully examining the claims of intelligent design, the latest and most sophisticated attempt to challenge Darwin on religious grounds.
©2008 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2008 The Great Courses