Science and Society ― Understanding Scientific Methodology, Energy, Climate, and Sustainability

This is an undergraduate textbook for non-science majors interested in learning about how science works, the implications of the scientific method on our conception of nature, and the impact we have on the environment. The book provides a concise, historically based, non-mathematical treatment of modern physics of relevance to societal issues. It challenges readers to examine societal issues (and their own beliefs) in light of the scientific method. Finally, unlike typical physics or science texts,Science and Society is structured as a narrative in which the modern scientific conceptualization of nature is developed and applied.

Eric Swanson is a professor at the University of Pittsburgh. He has published more than 100 papers on theoretical hadronic physics, condensed matter physics, and biophysics. Swanson is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and is a founder of the APS Topical Group on Hadronic Physics. He has been a visiting scientist at Oxford University, TRIUMF in British Columbia, Jefferson Lab in Virginia, and Los Alamos National Laboratory.