How did science get started is a question that has interested many a reader. British historian David Wootton’s book The Invention of Science offers one perspective on the origin within a few centuries of European history in which the features of modern science—experiments, models, laws, and peer review—were organized into a formal process of discovery. However, James Poskett disputes this in his book, Horizons. Poskett’s broad definition of science encompasses a wide range of cultures and represents “The global origins of modern science.” He places the efforts of organized observations within the realm of science, de-emphasizing the role of Europe and critiquing Wootton’s Euro-centric view.
Horizons explores how science quickly grew into an international effort, shaped by various cultural trends like colonialism, nationalism, and Cold War ideologies. Astronomical observatories boosted accuracy by constructing buildings for observing the heavens, and, as Poskett argues, early scientists recorded the natural world in a manner resembling modern science. Despite this, Poskett’s broad definition of science—encompassing an Aztec herbalism manual as scientific—leaves some questions, as the manual lacks scientific staples like experiments and controls.
Furthermore, the book outlines how non-European cultures developed advanced observations and mathematics centuries before European contributions and highlights the importance of access to these observations to the eventual development of science as we know it. Poskett’s definition of science extends the scope of what constitutes science to cover a wide array of observations and knowledge production throughout the world’s history (perhaps even some could argue, too broad).
Horizons also delves into the global element of science, documenting how various political figures across different countries viewed science as instrumental in cultural and economic advancement. These efforts, despite different motivations, yielded similar outcomes and propelled countries like China, India, and Russia to send students abroad and develop their own research institutions.
However, the book falls short in some areas, as the stories of these non-European figures share remarkable similarities and the economics and politics that drove these efforts diverged. Furthermore, the book reminds readers of the scientific talent that has historically gone to waste due to societal barriers based on race and gender.
While Horizons might not offer a clear counterargument to Wootton’s Euro-centric perspective, it’s still a valuable read as it underscores the global influences on the origins of modern science.
