Record Number: 30603
Reading Experience:
Evidence:
'Meeting held at 64, Northcourt Avenue. 24th. Sept. 1945.
Rosamund Wallis in the chair.
1. The minutes of the last meeting were read and signed.
[...]
4. Arnold Joselin outlined very briefly the History of Science. He divided the
subject into three parts. The origins of knowledge in very early days, The
beginnings of scientific development from the 15th to the 19th centuries and
Modern Science. He mentioned many of the outstanding figures in the Scientific
world, and the discoveries for which they were famous. He ended by suggesting as
a subject for a future Book Club meeting “The Unity of Science and Religion”.
5. Austin Miller then expounded the theory of Scientific Method, as applied, not
only in the normal way, to scientific research, but also to the Arts and indeed to
every sphere of life. He defined Scientific Method in a word as
‘objectivity’ — or the elimination of opinion and the substitution of
evidence. In the discussion which followed, most us found ourselves too much in
agreement with Dr. Miller to provide an effective opposition, but F. E. Pollard
considered that Scientists were guilty of an act of Faith rather than one of proved
truth, in supposing that natural laws which have always been obeyed in the past,
will continue to be obeyed in the future.
6. Bruce Dilks explained that he had intended to conclude the evening by talking to
us on scale, size and measurement. Unfortunately all his notes and diagrams had
been left on the Isle of Wight, so instead he offered to answer questions on
popular fallacies. [...]
[signed as a true record by] Arnold G. Joselin 22 Oct. 1945. [at the club meeting
held at 7, Marlborough Avenue: see Minute Book, p. 43.]'
1900-1945
Date:24 Sep 1945
Country:England
Timeevening
Place:city: Reading
county: Berkshire
specific address: 64, Northcourt Avenue
(Reader):
silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown
(Listener):
solitary reactive unknown
single serial unknown
Reader / Listener / Reading Group:
Reader: Age:Adult (18-100+)
Gender:Male
Date of Birth:n/a
Socio-Economic Group:Professional / academic / merchant / farmer
Occupation:n/a
Religion:Quaker or associated with the Friends
Country of Origin:n/a
Country of Experience:England
Listeners present if any:e.g family, servants, friends
Members of the XII Book Club
Additional Comments:
n/a
Text Being Read:
Author: Title:[a brief outline of the history of science]
Genre:Essays / Criticism, History, Science, History of Science
Form of Text:Manuscript: Unknown
Publication Detailsn/a
Provenanceowned
Source Information:
Record ID:30603
Source:Manuscript
Author:Margaret Dilks
Title:XII Book Club Minute Book, Vol. 5 (1944-1952)
Location:private collection
Call No:n/a
Page/Folio:41–42
Additional Information:
Margaret Dilks was secretary to the XII Book Club from 1940 to 1970. It is inferred from this, and from the handwriting, that she was the author of this set of minutes.
Citation:
Margaret Dilks, XII Book Club Minute Book, Vol. 5 (1944-1952), private collection, 41–42, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=30603, accessed: 25 November 2024
Additional Comments:
Material by kind permission of the XII Book Club. For further information and permission to quote this source, contact the Reading Experience Database (http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/contacts.php).