LECTURE 16 CONSUING SCIENCE Flashcards
Who was Isaac Newton?
He was around during the culmination of scientific revolution.
Developed theories on the universal laws of gravitational attraction – both celestial/terrestrial.
A great experimenter (e.g optics) and Fellow of the Royal Society.
But still attracted to alchemy (he believed it to contain hidden forces that were possible to master)
There is evidence that he sought to revive ‘lost wisdom’.
Were there criticisms of Newton’s theory?
Yes, he made gravity an occult power’.
Was Newton religious?
Yes, he was pious and not an atheist.
He calculated dates of millenarian and biblical exegete (analysed them)
Newton and Alchemy?
Newton starts to downplay certain aspects like alchemy.
He dated the apocalypse.
The birth of ‘newtonianism’?
The public face of newton – ‘rationalises’ him, sanitised in 18thc.
The popularisation of the ‘new science’.
The Other Half of the scientific revolution?
The history of science is not just about great names/invention but…
A ‘consumer history of science’ – how was new science marketed (a market for it had to be cultivated, an effort to stimulate an appetite for new sort of knowledge).
Old Ideas versus the new?
Previous ideas were contested, insecure –needed to establish new ideas.
The changing institutional framework of EU was a means of acquiring and passing on knowledge.
What does a ‘social history of knowledge’ refer to?
Where it was acquired, by who, what made it worth acquiring, science and the ‘fabric of society’.
What expanded in 1550-1750?
Higher education. The curriculum – natural philosophy alongside moral philosophy, model of education.
Teaching established truths rather than learning new through research, no new discoveries.
What were popular places to visit?
Anatomical theatres, on the ‘tourist map’ by social elites. e/g of popularisation. Builds on growing renaissance theme of curiosity.
What is there a growth in?
Societies – collection of information and attainment of patronage grow increasingly from 1600- 1699 .
Important contributions to new societies ‘Paris academie des sciences’ main patron in developing new science in EU.
What was the Royal Society of London?
Founded 1660 – acquired royal charter 1662 and successful in propagating the ‘model’ of the scientific society as an activity of becoming a gentleman and also leading ‘practical’ discoveries.
Many virtuous, not the greatest scientists, many important societies at the time did not make discoveries whilst partaking in the society.
Often mocked for pursuing ‘trivial’ things e.g like air pressure.
What did the Royal society publish?
E.g Micrographia by Robert hooke.
There was a new curiosity and this new science offers new possibilities. It defamiliarised what was known, e.g flea more spectacular in structure than ever thought.
It really highlighted what was previously thought of as harmful, frightening was actually interesting and stimulated curiosity.
What ways was knowledge communicated?
Aristocratic knowledge of science
Museums - satisfies both social/ statue / inquisitive needs
Aristocratic women: Margaert Cavendish – patron who is actively involved and published herself
The rise of the ‘scientific book’ e.g encyclopaedia, medical dictionaries.
What has happened in the social history of science?
Present new scientific world as within comprehension of relatively educated people, no longer isolated to elites/higher education such as university.
Field of knowledge to bridge religious divides between catholic/protestant. New science essentially pious.
Allows communication between elites within EU that was fragmented by the reform.
Emphasise is now placed on witness/evidence – empowering anti-elitist, don’t need to master Aristotle in order to take part.
Published in new form of scientific writing, not general but not describes specifics – people’s writings allow for multiply possibilities and allows experiments to be repeated.
