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Lecture: “Thomas Weaver – Geologist and Dissenter” by Dr. Peadar McArdle (Former GSI Director) – March 21st 2018
21 March, 2018 @ 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM GMT
Dr. Peadar McArdle’s has kindly agreed to give a lecture based on his latest book, which is the first biography of geologist Thomas Weaver (1773-1855). Thomas Weaver did pioneering work on the geology of Leinster, managed several mining operations, and was (as Peadar describes him) a “dissenting spirit”.
Peadar is a wonderful speaker; those who have not yet heard him are in for a treat.
Abstract: Thomas Weaver was an accomplished engineer and geologist who successfully managed Avoca’s main copper mine and brought order to the nearby gold workings. An engaging personality, Weaver would partake as enthusiastically in a local ploughing contest as in a scholarly debate. His story sheds light on industrial and social conditions in pre-Famine Ireland and elsewhere. He was active at a time when geology was coming of age as a scientific discipline. Science has been described as a journey without destination, where theories are constantly challenged and remain valid only until they are undermined by new evidence. Yet, as the current climate-change debate shows, there can be an alarming intolerance for the very dissent that should be critical to validating its conclusions. This proved to be the case in Weaver’s lifetime as he took issue with emerging mindsets and was eventually marginalised as a result.
Venue: Geological Survey of Ireland, Haddington Road, Beggars Bush, Dublin 4
Date: Wednesday 21 March 2018
Time: 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm
Refreshments will be available at the Survey from 5:30 onwards.
The talk is free, you are welcome to bring along friends and colleagues. This talk will also be of major interest to historians of science in Ireland. Do not miss it!
See you there!
[And you can avail of the opportunity to get yourself a signed copy, too.]