Lewis Thomas Knihy

Eseje amerického vědce a popularizárota vědy, ve kterých se věnuje otázkám medicínským, biologickým, společenskovědním a etickým.

Populárně vědecká publikace pojednává o nejživějších otázkách soudobé biologie. Soubor esejů o zajímavých otázkách dneška, vyplývajících z pokroku biologie, byl vytěžen ze dvou knih známého amerického pracovníka v oboru medicínské a biologické vědy (nar. 1913). Jedna z těchto knih byla v r. 1974 poctěna Národní cenou USA. Doslovy Prokop Málek a Miloslav Skyba.

Eseje Lewise Thomase, význameného amerického lékaře a vědce, jsou originální literární útvary vypovídající o souvislostech a vzájemných vztazích mezi živými organismy v přírodě.

As dramatic as The Double Helix and as absorbing as The Soul of a New Machine, Natural Obsessions explores the advanced reaches of molecular biology, the nature of the human cell, and the genes that control cancer. It unforgettably portrays some of the best young scientists in the world, the rewards and discouragements of scientific research, and the very process of scientific inquiry.

Elegant, suggestive, and clarifying, Lewis Thomas's profoundly humane vision explores the world around us and examines the complex interdependence of all things. Extending beyond the usual limitations of biological science and into a vast and wondrous world of hidden relationships, this provocative book explores in personal, poetic essays to topics such as computers, germs, language, music, death, insects, and medicine. Lewis Thomas writes, "Once you have become permanently startled, as I am, by the realization that we are a social species, you tend to keep an eye out for the pieces of evidence that this is, by and large, good for us."

The medusa is a tiny jellfish that lives on the ventral surface of a sea slug found in the Bay of Naples. Readers will find themselves caught up in the fate of the medusa and the snail as a metaphor for eternal issues of life and death as Lewis Thomas further extends the exploration of a man and his world begun in "The Lives of a Cell." Among the treasures in this magnificent book are essays on the human genius for making mistakes, on disease and natural death, on cloning, on warts, and on Montaigne, as well as an assessment of medical science and health care. In these essays and others, Thomas once again conveys his observations of the scientific world in prose marked by wonder and wit.

This original and lucid account of the complexities of love and its essential role in human well-being draws on the latest scientific research. Three eminent psychiatrists tackle the difficult task of reconciling what artists and thinkers have known for thousands of years about the human heart with what has only recently been learned about the primitive functions of the human brain.A General Theory of Love demonstrates that our nervous systems are not self-contained: from earliest childhood, our brains actually link with those of the people close to us, in a silent rhythm that alters the very structure of our brains, establishes life-long emotional patterns, and makes us, in large part, who we are. Explaining how relationships function, how parents shape their child’s developing self, how psychotherapy really works, and how our society dangerously flouts essential emotional laws, this is a work of rare passion and eloquence that will forever change the way you think about human intimacy.

Exploring major contemporary issues like AIDS, drug abuse, and aging, the author delves into evolutionary biology and the development of language with keen insight. He reflects on the therapeutic aspects of medicine, showcasing his passion for the profession while raising thought-provoking questions. This work combines personal narrative with scientific inquiry, offering a unique perspective on the complexities of modern life and health.

Exploring themes of collective trauma, this book offers a poignant historical testimony through a collection of narratives. It captures personal stories that reflect the emotional and psychological impact of shared experiences, providing insight into resilience and healing. The narratives serve as a powerful reminder of the human capacity to confront and process trauma, making it a significant contribution to understanding historical and contemporary struggles.