Erasmus Darwin: a life of unparalleled achievement.

Erasmus Darwin: a life of unparalleled achievement. DESMOND KING-HELE Desmond George King-Hele (born 1927) is a British physicist. He was awarded the Eddington Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1971 for his work on the geophysical application of the study of the orbits of artificial satellites. . Erasmus Darwin: a life of unparalleledachievement. x+422 pages, 16 plates, 19 figures. 1999. London: Giles dela Mare de la Mare? , Walter John 1873-1956.British writer whose delight in the fantasy world of childhood is reflected in his poems and novels, such as Early One Morning (1935).Noun 1. ; 1-900357-08-9 paperback 24.99 [pounds sterling]. Archaeologists, historians and social scientists should be aware oftheir own ideas and methods. Broad background to the issues in culturalhistory is provided by Prof. BURKE in his famous work on culture andsociety in Italy and the translation of his sweeping book on the spreadof the Renaissance. It is usually argued that the antiquarian an��ti��quar��i��an?n.One who studies, collects, or deals in antiquities.adj.1. Of or relating to antiquarians or to the study or collecting of antiquities.2. Dealing in or having to do with old or rare books. roots ofarchaeology first developed in the 15th century as Romans pondered theClassical ruins poking up around them (cf. EDWARDS, below). Prof. BURKEdoes not deal with this topic as such -- indeed, architecture is barelymentioned in culture and society -- but his discussions of world viewand, of course, the sense of history are basic reading. Footnotes andbibliography are now up-dated. Both architecture and the sense ofhistory are covered at a bit more length in The European Renaissance,which traces the spread of the new culture. The history ofantiquarianism an��ti��quar��i��an?n.One who studies, collects, or deals in antiquities.adj.1. Of or relating to antiquarians or to the study or collecting of antiquities.2. Dealing in or having to do with old or rare books. illustrates ways in which Enlightenment emerged fromRenaissance but, again, the topic is easiest understoood from a broaderpoint of view. The approach of Erasmus Darwin (1731-1802) to research,his curiosity and methodology, are typical of the mainstream of sciencewith which most of archaeology has matured. His father, explains DrKING-HELE, was introduced to the Royal Society by W. Stukeley and,probably by the same connection, was a member of the SpaldingGentleman's Society. Prof. MALIK argues that the world view of the Enlightenment, withits pretence to objective observation, has served the humanities veryill. He points out that it has been surpassed in 20th-century particlephysics; he argues that traditional Indian philosophy never committedthe error of detachment; and he urges archaeologists and anthropologiststo become less epistemologically assertive and open themselves to listento their evidence. `There is no meaning of history; there is meaning inhistory, the meaning people give to their own experience' (p. 208):`the emergence of civilisation ... is ... caused by free and creativepeople' (p. 207; cf. PELTENBURG in `Cyprus', above). Prof.MALIK urges that ancient rock art, for example, is to be understood byexperiencing it. The basic point is that the world is Consciousness. Hehas a ready Western audience in some quarters of Post-Modernistarchaeology and anthropology, including those interested inphenomenology phenomenology,modern school of philosophy founded by Edmund Husserl. Its influence extended throughout Europe and was particularly important to the early development of existentialism. . His book comprises nine essays, ranging from philosophyof science and Hindu philosophy to art. The piece on rock art is theeasiest for archaeologists to begin on. T.D. Held (COLEMAN & WALZ, p. 269 (`Choppy ...', above))argues that the Enlightenment's `construction of Greece ...transformed a limited ethnocentrism ethnocentrism,the feeling that one's group has a mode of living, values, and patterns of adaptation that are superior to those of other groups. It is coupled with a generalized contempt for members of other groups. into Eurocentric pretensions withuniversal reach'. Certainly, however eurocentric were the Romans,the same was done with their antiquities.