Science and Philosophy in Stuart England

  Research Methodology A. What examples are there of historians who have researched this theme/topic/event (list and provide references to at least three historians, and at least one of their respective publications/books/articles)? i) S.F. Mason “Science and Religion in the 17th Century England” ii) William H. Austin “Isaac Newton on Science and Religion” iii) Michael Hunter “Science and Society in Restoration England” B. What type of historical sources did they use in their research? i) S.F. Mason is a historian who discusses developments of science and ties to religion in “Science and Religion in the 17th Century England. Mason uses books and articles from other historians on similar topics to help formulate viewpoints and ideologies. This includes credible works scientists and academics. His attention is on subjects prior to and during the Stuart era. Focusing primarily science such as astronomy and mechanics and the relation with science and religion over time.   ii) William H

Sir  Isaac  Newton Isaac Newton also known as Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) is a renowned scientist of the Stuart Era. These accomplishments have strong ties to physics and mathematics.  His vast contributions to science are monumental and are highly recognized by the science community. Newton’s Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica developed 1687 is considered one of the most important works in the history of modern science. Newton studied in several different fields, including mathematics, astrology, chemistry, philosophy, and physics. Newton’s studies in the field of mathematics were of particular importance, as he developed calculus and discovered the binomial theorem. In his book Optiks , Newton theorized that light was a spectrum, and he discovered the prismatic qualities of light as it refracts.   One of his most famous theories is Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation also known as Newton’s Law of Gravitation . Through this theory the understanding is that all matter

  Robert Boyle      Robert Boyle was a known natural philosopher during the 1600s. He was born in 1627 and died in 1691. He is recognized for his involvement with chemistry and is considered a “father of chemistry.” Boyle was responsible for his contribution to both the formation of the  Experimental Philosophy Club and the Royal Society of London. Boyle worked alongside Robert Hooke to create the air pump to study pneumatics; leading to the discovery of air pressure and the vacuum. In 1662, Boyle discovered a relationship between the pressure of a gas and its volume at a given temperature. It was also discovered by Edme Mariotte, a french physicist, and is known as Boyle’s law , the Boyle-Mariotte law , and the Mariotte law .  Boyle’s law was given the formula PV = k , where P is the pressure of a gas, V is the volume of its container, and k is a constant, such as the temperature. The law describes how the pressure of a gas at a constant temperature increases when the volume of its

  Robert Hooke Robert Hooke was one of the most important natural philosophers of the 1600s. He as born in 1635 and died in 1703, but in this time he made many contributions to various different fields of science. He was not a founding member of the Royal Society, but he was admitted to join only two years after the society was created, in 1662. He worked under Robert Boyle, and together from 1655 to 1659, they created the Boylean Air Pump, which led to major advancements in the understanding of physics and chemistry. Observations from the pump led to Boyle discovering the concept of the vacuum and air pressure, while Hooke would go on to develop a theory on elasticity, which explains how the stretching of a material is “proportional to the force applied to it”. This was the groundwork for further studies on stress and strain, and helped develop a further understanding for “elastic materials”.  Hooke was also interested in the field of astronomy, where he made observations on the rota