Science and Pseudoscience is an in-depth conversation between Howard Burton and Michael Gordin, Rosengarten Professor of Modern and Contemporary History at Princeton University. This wide-ranging conversation examines the strange case of Immanuel Velikovsky, author of the bestselling book “Worlds in Collision” that managed to provocatively combine unbridled scientific speculation with ancient myth, as a way of probing the often-problematic boundary between science and pseudoscience.
By all accounts, Velikovsky was a decidedly curious character. The notorious Russian-born doctor-turned psychoanalyst-turned astronomer-historian-autodidact not only had a flair for writing and boatloads of charisma and energy, he also was on record for making a couple of concrete predictions of his radical new theory of the solar system that turned out, much to the dismay of the authorities of the day, to actually be correct.
This conversation will soon be released in a carefully-edited video format. Already available is an enhanced book developed from this conversation, while Michael Gordin is also featured in three short documentaries – all details are below.
“Often academic online videos simply displace in-depth research and conceptual content for students – they watch it and that is it. Ideas Roadshow grabs the best of both worlds: the videos engage the viewer, but the books include more detail, further resources, and helpful analytical reflections from Howard Burton. It doesn’t just reflect the video; it extends it.” — Michael Gordin
This enhanced book is available in electronic format on all major booksellers, including:
Science and Pseudoscience is part of the 5-part Ideas Roadshow Collection, Conversations About History, Volume 1, which is available in hardcover, paperback and electronic format.
Michael Gordin is featured in 5 short documentaries together with a large number of other well-known researchers.
