This list of books are ONLY the books that have been ranked on the lists that are aggregated on this site. This is not a comprehensive list of all books by this author.

1. 1. Wonders And The Order Of Nature, 1150 1750

   

   This scholarly work delves into the evolving perceptions of wonders and marvels from the medieval period through the early modern era, exploring how these phenomena were categorized and understood within the broader framework of natural philosophy. It examines the shifting boundaries between the natural and the supernatural, highlighting how the concept of wonder played a crucial role in the development of scientific inquiry and the establishment of a new order of nature. Through a detailed analysis of historical texts, artifacts, and cultural practices, the book reveals the intricate interplay between curiosity, belief, and the pursuit of knowledge during a transformative period in European history.

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2. 2. Rules

   A Short History of What We Live By

   

   This insightful exploration delves into the historical evolution and cultural significance of rules across various domains, from science to everyday life. It examines how rules have shaped human behavior, thought processes, and societal norms, highlighting their role in fostering order and predictability while also acknowledging their limitations and the potential for rigidity. Through a rich tapestry of examples, the narrative reveals the dynamic interplay between rules and creativity, illustrating how they can simultaneously constrain and inspire innovation.

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3. 3. Histories Of Scientific Observation

   

   A concise history of how scientists have observed, recorded, and trusted phenomena from the early modern period to the twentieth century, tracing changes in instruments, training, note-taking, visualization, and ideals of objectivity. Through case studies spanning natural history, astronomy, medicine, and laboratory research, it shows how observers were shaped by protocols and institutions, how evidence was stabilized and circulated, and how observation mediated between sensory experience and theory. It emphasizes observation as collective labor shaped by technologies like the telescope, microscope, photography, and statistics, and explores enduring tensions between seeing and knowing.

4. 4. Objectivity

   

   A history of how scientists have defined and pursued impartial knowledge, tracking shifts in epistemic virtues from truth-to-nature through mechanical objectivity to trained judgment. Drawing on scientific atlases and visual practices, it shows how technologies like photography and the moral economies of laboratories reshaped what counted as a faithful representation. The study reveals objectivity as an evolving ideal, entwined with discipline-specific methods, instruments, and ethical self-restraint.

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5. 5. Against Nature

   

   A concise intellectual history that challenges the idea of a fixed, self-evident nature by tracing how scientists, philosophers, and cultural authorities have constructed and contested the boundary between the natural and the unnatural; it shows how shifts in epistemic practices and moral norms—from early modern teleology to modern experimental objectivity and statistical reasoning—reconfigured what counts as natural and how appeals to nature have been used to justify scientific authority and social orders.

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