Gavan Tredoux

Quasi-biography of J.H.S. Haldane, one of the most noted "popular scientists" of the mid-20th century. The author takes the position that Haldane was a spy for the USSR. After reading the book, I came to the view that the author failed to really prove the case that Haldane did, in fact, spy for the USSR, though he did more than adequately prove that Haldane was extremely slippery in his ideology, especially in the way he (Haldane) more or less hung a famous Russian geneticist out to dry (Vavilov) with nary a peep. There's also substantial evidence that Haldane was truly a horrible person to know. Oversold, as I say, but still an interesting read, in that it gives one very good insight into how science can become politicized -- a lesson still relevant today.… (plus d'informations)