J.B.S. Haldane, scientist extraordinaireâborn in Britain yet spiritually bound to Indiaâremains one of the most enigmatic geniuses of the modern era. Here is a man who saw action in two world wars, engaged in the most radical politics of his day, conducted groundbreaking scientific research, and wrote with flair and convictionâyet Haldane's universe remains shrouded in mystery. Award-winning author Samanth Subramanian's latest offering undoes this travesty. Besides shedding light on Haldane's contributions to genetics and evolutionary biologyâhe was the first to calculate the rate at which mutations occur and accumulate in genesâthe book illuminates Haldane's inner worldâhis towering intellect, his radical vision of society, his provocative philosophy, and his attempts a wrestling with the essential moral questions that scientific progress must raise.
Equally, the book dwells on Haldane's years in Indiaâhis journey to the nation; his affiliation with the Indian Statistical Institute, Calcutta; his attachment to the Genetics and Biometry Laboratory in Bhubaneshwar (where he died). Dronamraju's description of Haldane as 'the last man who knew everything' was, at its simplest, an acknowledgement of his command over multiple subjects. But it was also an astute observation that Haldane's era was the last time when the realms of scientific knowledge were limited enough for a single person to apprehend in near-entirety. To know everything was to see the forces of the world unified and to conceive of life in its full complexity. A Dominant Character will give readers a taste of that heady sensation.

- 384 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub
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Table of contents
- Front Cover
- Title Page
- 1. The Scientific Method
- 2. The Deep End
- 3. Synthesis
- 4. Red Haldane
- 5. The War At Home
- 6. India
- 7. Ten Thousand Years
- Acknowledgments
- Notes
- Archives
- Selected Bibliography
- List of Illustrations
- Copyright
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Yes, you can access A Dominant Character by Samanth Subramanian in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Technology & Engineering & Science & Technology Biographies. We have over 1.5 million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.