Isaac Newton's scientific method : turning data into evidence about gravity and cosmology / William L. Harper.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Harper, William L. (William Leonard), 1943- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Newton, Isaac, 1642-1727.

Newton, Isaac.

Gravity.

Cosmology.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xvii, 424 pages) : illustrations

Other Title:

Turning data into evidence about gravity and cosmology

Place of Publication:

Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2011.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Harper presents an account of Isaac Newton's work on gravity and the cosmos. He argues that Newton's inferences from phenomena realize an ideal of empirical success that is richer than prediction, and explores the ways in which Newton's method aims to turn theoretical questions into ones which can be answered empirically.

Contents:

1. An introduction to Newton's scientific method

2. Newton's phenomena

3. Inferences from phenomena (propositions 1 and 2, book 3)

4. Unification and the moon-test (propositions 3 and 4, book 3)

5. Christian Huygens : a great natural philosopher who measured gravity and an illuminating foil for Newton on method

6. Unification and the moon-test : critical assessment

7. Generalization by induction (propositions 5 and 6, book 3)

8. Gravity as a universal force of interaction (propositions 7-13, book 3)

9. Beyond hypothesis : Newton's methodology vs. hypothetico-deductive methodology

10. Newton's methodology and the practice of science.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (viewed on Mar. 5, 2012).

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

ISBN:

1-283-42266-2

9786613422668

0-19-161790-3

OCLC:

922970957