Establishing that science is inherently a normative form of knowledge and that it is society that gives meaning to science, rather than the “truth” of science, Polanyi argues that the foundation of meaning is creative imagination. Imagination is used to synthesize the different, largely chaotic and disparate elements of life, largely through metaphorical expressions in poetry, art, myth, and religion. For Polanyi these integrations compare with those of science as valid modes of knowledge and Polanyi hopes that this view of the foundations of meaning will restore the validity of traditional ideals that have been devalued by modern science. Polanyi also outlines the general conditions of a free society, which encourages different approaches to truth, and which includes an illuminating discussion of how to restore, in modern minds, the possibility of religion being accepted.

Michael Polanyi was a Fellow of the Royal Society of England, a professor of physical chemistry and social sciences at the University of Manchester and also a Fellow of Merton College (Oxford). He was the author of many works, including Science, Faith and Society, The Logic of Liberty, Personal Knowledge, The study of man and Knowing and Being.

Harry Prosch was professor and chairman of the philosophy department at Skidmore College, and author of The Genesis of Twentieth Century Philosophy.

Eduardo Beira was a professor at the MIT Portugal program and at the University of Minho and has been translating the work of Michael Polanyi into Portuguese, having already published translations of The Tacit Dimension, The Study of Man, Personal Knowledge, Science, Faith and Society , Contempt for Freedom and Full Employment and Free Trade in addition to having published other books and articles on Polanyi's work.