Outline #5
Appeal & Spread of Newtonian Science in the 18th Century
Appeal & Spread of Newtonian Science in the 18th Century
Newton's career and impact (1689-1727)
- Newton's position as the leading natural philosopher
- the popular image of the heroic genius
- influence, protégés, and followers
- President of Royal Society, national honors
- Newtonian popular science and textbooks
- the appeal of successful mathematical physics in the 1700s
- new opportunities for the practice of science
- gentlemen scientists, women, and salons
- patronage support and tutoring jobs
- lecturers, showmen, instrument makers, and authors on Newtonian topics
- new technical education and jobs
- technical advice to government
Success of mathematical physics in the 1700s
- mathematical elaboration of "rational mechanics"
- mathematical techniques for solving problems (functions, calculus, algebra)
- principles for applying math (Maupertuis's "least action")
- ties to physical problems, examples in mechanics
- fitting physical phenomena
- expanding realm of applications
- continued novel Newtonian equations
- Coulomb's "mass of charge" equation (1785)
- mathematical models: Laplace's particles and interparticulate forces
- the quest for unity of equations and principles
Empirical (lab) work and physical models in the 1700s
- accumulation and modeling of new phenomena of "experimental physics"
- mechanics
- electricity -- Leyden jar; Franklin's fluid and charge (1751), Galvani and Volta (1790s)
- heat -- Turgot's expansibilité theory of the action of heat (1760s)
- subtle matter ideas
- material explanations, avoiding qualities
- mechanical and fluid analogies
- explains properties of containment, conduction, transmission
- subtle fluids: ether [light], heat, electricity, magnetism, life-force
- mechanical picture
- supported by implications of mathematics
- troubling proliferation of types of matter and forces
- successful new elemental chemistry
- theory of aggregated particles & reactions (late 1600s)
- Newtonian goal of classifying parts and actions, and quantifying
- laboratory progress with manipulating & measurement
- experiments with "fixed air" and other "airs" (Black, Priestley and Lavoisier, 1750s- )
- Lavoisier's element and reaction classification (1790s- )
- reaction equations of weight, number, and proportions (1790s- )
- development of Newtonian science
- technique
- precision (instrumentation)
- extension of Newtonian theoretical physics
- useful applications
- the failed promise of "mechanical" biology
- appeal of consistency with the Newtonian model of true science
- limited research program
- few living activities explained by simple mechanism
- limited technological tools of investigation
- inconceivable for mechanism alone to explain complex, directed living functions
- apparent need for organizer or director [First & Final causes] of vital activity
- the question of mechanism or vitalism unresolved in 1700s
- inductive methodology for new empirical disciplines: geology, social sciences
© 2018 Dr. William Kimler