The Social Origins of Modern Science

Edgar Zilsel (1891-1944) lived through the best of times and worst of times, through the renewal of scientific optimism and humane politics, and through the massive social collapse into idolatrous barbarism. With it all, and with his per­ sonal and family crises in Vienna and later in America, Zilsel was, I believe, a th heroic, indeed a model, scholar of the first half of the 20 century. He was widely admired as a teacher, at high schools, in workers education, in research tutoring and sem...