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Essay
Nature 447, 149 (10 May 2007) | doi:10.1038/447149a; Published online 9 May 2007
Connections Kinds of minds
David Knight1
- David Knight is in the Philosophy Department at Durham University, 50 Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3AY, UK.
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Abstract
Do differences in history, culture and education influence whether scientists focus on pieces and particulars, or make broad connections?
A hundred years ago, the philosopher–physicist Pierre Duhem, looking back over the nineteenth century, saw two kinds of scientific minds: the French, strongly focused, narrow and deep; and the English, ample, broad and shallow. As nationalism, Duhem's scheme failed: his 'French' minds included Newton's and his 'English' ones Napoleon Bonaparte's.
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