ABSTRACT
Science is of immense social significance in the present day. Industry, agriculture and innumerable other sectors draw upon scientific theories. Experts with scientific training are frequently asked to contribute to discussions about a wide range of social issues. It is a human construct that meets certain needs, ideals and objectives. That scientific knowledge is held in such high esteem by people who ordinarily have few dealings with it is rather remarkable, given that science is an extremely technical and specialist activity. Those histories of science that take for granted the viewpoint of nature-oriented research mostly concentrate on advances in scientific theory. They tend to result in an enumeration of the most important discoveries and discoverers, thereby making visible all the growth in scientific knowledge. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
