In the period 1700-1850 there took place a major transition in natural philosophy: from Newton's concept of passive matter activated by ethereal and active principles, to the conception of nature as a self-contained system, its activity being seen in terms of energy and field principles which were internal to the natural order. Without neglecting the scientific context, Dr Harman's approach is from the standpoint of the history of ideas. The first part of the volume deals with the British tradition of speculation about the ...
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In the period 1700-1850 there took place a major transition in natural philosophy: from Newton's concept of passive matter activated by ethereal and active principles, to the conception of nature as a self-contained system, its activity being seen in terms of energy and field principles which were internal to the natural order. Without neglecting the scientific context, Dr Harman's approach is from the standpoint of the history of ideas. The first part of the volume deals with the British tradition of speculation about the nature of matter, ether and force; the second with the Continent, with the Leibnizian and Kantian critiques of Newtonian natural philosophy, and the development of Helmholtz's principle of the conservation of energy. The metaphysical and theological dimensions to matter theory are seen as fundamental to this profound shift in sensibilities: they did not determine scientific practice, but they constrained its form and shaped the structure of scientific thought.
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Add this copy of After Newton: Essays on Natural Philosophy (Variorum to cart. $45.16, like new condition, Sold by Marches Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Hereford, HEREFORDSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1993 by Routledge.
Add this copy of After Newton: Essays on Natural Philosophy (Variorum to cart. $109.02, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 1993 by Routledge.
Add this copy of After Newton: Essays on Natural Philosophy (Variorum to cart. $151.31, new condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 1993 by Routledge.