Taking Sides: Clashing Views in Science, Technology, and Society

by Thomas A. Easton

This Eighth Edition of TAKING CLASHING VIEWS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND SOCIETY presents current controversial issues in a debate-style format designed to stimulate student interest and develop critical thinking skills. Each issue is thoughtfully framed with an issue summary, an issue introduction, and a postscript. An instructor’s manual with testing material is available for each TAKING SIDES volume. USING TAKING SIDES IN THE CLASSROOM is also an excellent instructor resource with practical suggestions on incorporating this effective approach in the classroom. Each TAKING SIDES reader features an annotated listing of selected World Wide Web sites and is supported by our student website, www.mhcls.com/online.

Genres: Science, Philosophy, Textbooks, Technology

432 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Thomas A. Easton is a teacher and well-known science fiction critic and author. He retired as a professor from Thomas College of Maine in 2014 and now teaches part-time at Mount Ida College in Newton, MA.

Easton holds a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Colby College and a doctorate in theoretical biology from the University of Chicago.

He wrote the book review column in SF magazine Analog Science Fiction and Fact from 1979 - 2009. He appears frequently at Boston-area science fiction conventions.

Reviews

[Anagha Uppal · Rating 5 out of 5]

The genetic engineering chapter was beyond-all-expectations excellent! I am researching and (was) supporting a ban on genetic modification of humans, but this article completely changed my views on the subject. Would that I could change the position of my paper :/

If you think you know your stance on a controversial topic, think again. Read this book.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though this was a textbook for my class, I really enjoyed delving into some of the topics that this book touched upon. I really learned a lot about how interwoven my discpline really is with science and the social aspects of technology were eye opening.

[Nostalgia Reader]

Pointless, at least for the composition course I used it for. Simply takes articles and other sources addressing opposing sides of issues, reprints them, and expects you to further your argumentative prowess. Many of the sources, at least the one I read, were out of context, very biased, and not comparable at all.

Didn't help my understanding of arguments--making them or writing them--at all. Maybe if the class had been built around the book more it would have been more beneficial.