John Ziman

John Michael Ziman (May 16, 1925 - January 2, 2005) was a physicist and a humanist who worked in the area of condensed matter physics. He was an outstanding spokesman for science, and an accomplished teacher and author.

John Ziman was born in England but moved to New Zealand with his family in childhood and obtained his early education at Hamilton and Wellington. He obtained his PhD from Balliol College, Oxford and did his early research on the theory of electrons in liquid metals at Cambridge.

In 1964 he was appointed professor of theoretical physics at Bristol University, and his interests shifted towards the philosophy of science. He argued ardently about the social dimension of science, and the social responsibility of scientists in numerous essays and books.

[edit] Selected writings

Ziman, John (1972). Principles of the Theory of Solids. Cambridge University Press.
Ziman, John (1960). Electrons and phonons: The theory of transport phenomena in solids. Clarendon.
Ziman, John (1963). Electrons in metals: A short guide to the Fermi surface. Taylor & Francis.
Ziman, John (1968). Public Knowledge: Essay Concerning the Social Dimension of Science. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-06894-0.
Ziman, John (1978). Reliable Knowledge: an Exploration of the Grounds for Belief in Science. Cambridge University Press.
Ziman, John (2000). Real Science: What It Is and What It Means. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-77229-X.