Jean Piaget was born in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, on August 9, 1896. His father, Arthur Piaget, was a professor of medieval literature with an interest in local history. His mother, Rebecca Jackson, was intelligent and energetic, but Jean found her a bit neurotic -an impression that he said led to his interest in psychology, but away from pathology! The oldest child, he was quite independent and ...

James Tanner spent much of his childhood abroad, in the baggage train of the British Army; when he was 9 years old the family returned to their home in east Devon and he began his schooling. He attended Marlborough College from 1934 to 1938 on a scholarship reserved for the sons of Army officers. Having specialised first in modern languages and then in mathematics and engineering, he found hims...