Handling occult qualities in the scientific revolution : disciplines and new approaches to natural philosophy, from John Dee to Isaac Newton / Xiaona Wang.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Wang, Xiaona (Science historian), author.

Series:

Medieval and Early Modern Philosophy and Science

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Occultism and science--History--17th century.

Occultism and science.

Physics--History--17th century.

Physics.

Enlightenment.

Europe--Intellectual life--17th century.

Europe.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (260 pages)

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Leiden, The Netherlands : Brill, [2023]

Summary:

"The Scientific Revolution saw the redefinition of many scholastic notions about the nature of the world and its constituent parts, from planets to particles. Wang's book introduces a convincing and wide-ranging narrative of the changing place of 'occult qualities' in the context of emergent new scientific methods and early modern disciplinary realignments. Through in-depth analysis of the diverse treatments of this notion, whereby it becomes now a hollow phrase, now a touchstone for the superiority of new physics, Wang shows how the transmission of this notion is key to understanding almost every facet of the new physics of the age"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Intro

Contents

Acknowledgements

Introduction

1 Re-disciplining "Occult Qualities": Mechanics and the Mixed Mathematical Sciences

1.1 Being "Skilled in 'Catoptrics' "

1.2 Testing a Body of "Astronomical Hypotheses"

1.3 Dismissing "Idle Imaginings"

1.4 Creating the "Unheard-of Paradox"

2 Manifesting "Occult Causes": Empirical Investigations and Experimental Philosophy

2.1 The Physician's Pathway

2.2 The Baconian Method

2.3 Occult Causes

Manifest Effects

2.4 The "Physico-Mathematicall-Experimentall" Programme

3 Employing the Occult Powers of the Lodestone and Orbital Motions

3.1 Gilbert's Magnetism

3.2 Magnetism and Gravity

3.3 Approaches to Orbital Motions

4 Exploring Hidden Qualities of Matter: "vis activa"

4.1 Matter Emits (Magnetical) Effluvia

4.1.1 Petty's "Atomic Magnetism"

4.1.2 Magnetic Effluvia and Spheres of Activity

4.1.3 Boyle and Effluvia

4.2 Matter Vibrates and So Does Aether

4.2.1 Boyle and Vibrating Matter

4.2.2 Hooke and Vibrating Aether

4.3 Matter Attracts and Repels

4.3.1 Condensation and Rarefaction

4.3.2 Light Physics

4.3.3 The "Gassendians"

5 Reintroducing "Occult Qualities" into Natural Philosophy? Newton's Approaches to Physics

5.1 Early Immersion in the Mixed Mathematical Programme

5.1.1 Following Barrow

5.1.2 The Science of Colours and Light

5.1.3 De gravitatione

5.2 The Inimitable Newtonian Methodology: Dynamics

5.2.1 Orbital Motions, Comets, and Magnetism

5.2.2 De motu and Its Revisions

5.2.3 Routes to Universal Gravitation

5.3 Approaches to Physics and Active Principles

5.3.1 Interparticulate Forces

5.3.2 Concerning "Occult Qualities"

Conclusion

Bibliography

Index.

Notes:

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Description based on print version record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9789004535473

9004535470

OCLC:

1369670216