The Evolution of Knowledge

[Renn's] new tour de force, The Evolution of Knowledge, addresses all those concerned with science's fate. . . . In the 1930s, at a moment of existential crisis comparable to today's, [Edmund] Husserl likewise sought to reorient science around shared human experiences and common human needs. Yet Husserl, a notoriously opaque writer, had little hope of communicating his message to the scientific community. With this lucid and accessible book, Renn stands a far greater chance of success. ---Deborah R. Coen, Science This is an important book and one that powerfully advances our understanding of how knowledge operates in society while directly engaging with pressing contemporary issues. ---Geoffrey Cantor, Times Higher Education A global history of knowledge is a breathtakingly ambitious project. . . . Renn faces down the difficulties of crafting such an account with skill and resolve. The result is provocative and challenging. ---Joseph D. Martin, Physics Today In The Evolution of Knowledge, both academics and nonacademics concerned with the state of our planet will find a lot to think with and elaborate on. This erudite, rich, and important book indeed opens conversations rather than closing them. ---Raf De Bont, Isis This book should be required reading for all who consider themselves students of the history of knowledge. ---Alfred Freeborn, History of Human Sciences An inspiring survey of the products of Renn's long career. ---Jeremy Trevelyan Burman, Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences