Historical Studies in the Physical and Biological Sciences
Encyclopedia
Historical Studies in the Physical and Biological Sciences was an academic journal
published by the Office for History of Science and Technology at University of California, Berkeley
devoted to the study of the intellectual and social history of the physical sciences (including physics
, chemistry
, and astronomy
) and the biological sciences (including biology
, biophysics
, and genetics
), from the 17th century to the modern era.
The journal was founded by Russell McCormmach, who edited its first ten annual volumes, which bore the title Historical Studies in the Physical Sciences. John L. Heilbron
took over as editor in 1980 and in 1985 added "Biological" to the title in an effort to encourage more disciplinary variety in submissions. In 2008 Cathryn Carson took over as head of the editorial committee and the title changed again, this time to Historical Studies in the Natural Sciences
.
Its early annual volumes included seminal articles by Thomas Kuhn
, John L. Heilbron
, and Paul Forman
, as well as influential forewords by McCormmach. It published biannually under Heilbron and quarterly since 2008.
Academic journal
An academic journal is a peer-reviewed periodical in which scholarship relating to a particular academic discipline is published. Academic journals serve as forums for the introduction and presentation for scrutiny of new research, and the critique of existing research...
published by the Office for History of Science and Technology at University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
devoted to the study of the intellectual and social history of the physical sciences (including physics
History of physics
As forms of science historically developed out of philosophy, physics was originally referred to as natural philosophy, a term describing a field of study concerned with "the workings of nature".-Early history:...
, chemistry
History of chemistry
By 1000 BC, ancient civilizations used technologies that would eventually form the basis of the various branches of chemistry. Examples include extracting metals from ores, making pottery and glazes, fermenting beer and wine, making pigments for cosmetics and painting, extracting chemicals from...
, and astronomy
History of astronomy
Astronomy is the oldest of the natural sciences, dating back to antiquity, with its origins in the religious, mythological, and astrological practices of pre-history: vestiges of these are still found in astrology, a discipline long interwoven with public and governmental astronomy, and not...
) and the biological sciences (including biology
History of biology
The history of biology traces the study of the living world from ancient to modern times. Although the concept of biology as a single coherent field arose in the 19th century, the biological sciences emerged from traditions of medicine and natural history reaching back to ayurveda, ancient Egyptian...
, biophysics
Biophysics
Biophysics is an interdisciplinary science that uses the methods of physical science to study biological systems. Studies included under the branches of biophysics span all levels of biological organization, from the molecular scale to whole organisms and ecosystems...
, and genetics
History of genetics
The history of genetics started with the work of the Augustinian friar Gregor Johann Mendel. His work on pea plants, published in 1866, described what came to be known as Mendelian Inheritance...
), from the 17th century to the modern era.
The journal was founded by Russell McCormmach, who edited its first ten annual volumes, which bore the title Historical Studies in the Physical Sciences. John L. Heilbron
John L. Heilbron
John Lewis Heilbron, born 17 March 1934, is an American historian of science best known for his work in the history of physics and the history of astronomy...
took over as editor in 1980 and in 1985 added "Biological" to the title in an effort to encourage more disciplinary variety in submissions. In 2008 Cathryn Carson took over as head of the editorial committee and the title changed again, this time to Historical Studies in the Natural Sciences
Historical Studies in the Natural Sciences
Historical Studies in the Natural Sciences is a science journal published by University of California Press, in Berkeley, California on behalf of the Office for History of Science and Technology, University of California, Berkeley...
.
Its early annual volumes included seminal articles by Thomas Kuhn
Thomas Kuhn
Thomas Samuel Kuhn was an American historian and philosopher of science whose controversial 1962 book The Structure of Scientific Revolutions was deeply influential in both academic and popular circles, introducing the term "paradigm shift," which has since become an English-language staple.Kuhn...
, John L. Heilbron
John L. Heilbron
John Lewis Heilbron, born 17 March 1934, is an American historian of science best known for his work in the history of physics and the history of astronomy...
, and Paul Forman
Paul Forman
Paul Forman is an historian of science and a curator of the Division of Medicine and Science at the National Museum of American History. Forman's primary research focus has been the history of physics, in which he has helped pioneer the application of cultural history to scientific...
, as well as influential forewords by McCormmach. It published biannually under Heilbron and quarterly since 2008.
External links
- Historical Studies in the Physical and Biological Sciences journal at the University of California Press.
- HSPS information (including submission information) from UC Berkeley
- HSPS tables of contents from volume 11 onward