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Western culture, according to Veblen, is unique because of its comprehension of science. Above all else, he identifies this as the defining characteristic of Western Christian society, because all other social forces gather around it. But far from proclaiming this cult of science as a great good, Veblen instead examines how this peculiarity came to be. Why science? What will become of a society so engrossed with facts that it neglects other aspects of life, like art? Readers may find themselves amazed at the degree to which the scientific point of view has colored Western life, while students of sociology and anthropology will be fascinated by this reflexive look at scientific culture by a man of science. American economist and sociologist THORSTEIN BUNDE VEBLEN (1857-1929) was educated at Carleton College, Johns Hopkins University and Yale University. He coined the phrase "conspicuous consumption." Among his most famous works are The Theory of the Leisure Class (1899), The Theory of Business Enterprise (1904), and Imperial Germany and the Industrial Revolution (1915).