The Kindly Dr. Guillotin: And Other Essays on Science and LifeBiologist Harold Morowitz delights in discovering scientific principles behind everyday phenomena, from doing laundry to registering a car with the department of motor vehicles. Who else but Morowitz could explain exactly what takes place every time we put a load of dirty laundry into the washer? In the essay "Thermal Underthoughts" he ponders the scientific foundations of laundry day: thermal physics, centrifugal force, and vaporization. His detailed analysis describes the way detergent is dissolved in water, the processes involved in removing soil, and the inefficiencies inherent in the conversion of water to vapor in the dryer. Not even the lint trap escapes his keen eye. Yet these pieces range far beyond the laboratory. "It is not possible to reduce all of experience to the logic of science, " he says, and much of his writing engages his thoughts on philosophy, history, language, and people. |
Contents
Biological Themes in Literature | 39 |
Deconstructing Ivory Towers | 48 |
How Mouse Became a Verb | 57 |
Copyright | |
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