Preface to second edition

Summary

The Golem has attracted many reviews and much comment. In particular, the chapter on the foundation of relativity has given rise to a long debate which included a three-day workshop in which scientists, historians and sociologists met to discuss the history of relativity and its significance for The Golem. What we learned from the criticisms and the discussions has been incorporated in this new edition.

There is no doubt that, from the scientists' point of view, the original text had its faults. We have corrected these and all such changes are detailed at the end of the new Afterword. The main text has probably changed less than our scientist critics would have liked and the larger part of the Afterword is taken up with explaining why: We examine each serious criticism, either accepting it and making a change or putting the sociologist/historian's point of view. We have found the discussions enormously to our benefit even where the scientists and ourselves were unable to reach agreement.

From our point of view, one of the greatest benefits of writing The Golem has been the discovery that scientists and social scientists can discuss the issues in a register more familiar to academics than to religious zealots. As a result each of us has been able to learn from the other though this does not mean we agree about everything.