Chemists and Chemistry in Nature and Society, 1770-1878

ISBN-13: 9780860784128 / Angielski / Twarda / 1994 / 320 str.

Trevor H. Levere

Opis

In the 18th century chemistry established itself as both an autonomous and a public science, moving from mining and medicine into agriculture and geology, indeed into the entire material and cultural fabric of society. This chemical revolution had its epicentre in France, but quickly spread. The present volume looks at theoretical and practical aspects of that revolution in France and The Netherlands, then turns to Britain, where Thomas Beddoes mixed French chemistry, medicine, and democratic politics. With the 19th century, Humphrey Davy, emerging from Beddoesa s Pneumatic Institution (from which he rapidly distanced himself), took public chemistry dramatically to London. The following articles show how his friend Coleridge incorporated the science into a romantic philosophy of nature, and Faraday extended Davya s work in electrochemistry, matter theory, and a theology of nature; even Hegela s philosophy of geology based itself on chemistry. The final section explores debates about chemical affinity, qualities and arrangement. Au 18e s., la chimie sa etablissait en tant que science autonome et publique, passant de la industrie miniere et de la medecine A la agriculture et A la geologie; en verite, A la ensemble de la structure materielle et culturelle de la societe. Cette revolution chimique, dont la epicentre etait en France, finit par sa etaler rapidement de toute part. Le present volume examine les aspects theoriques et pratiques de cette revolution en France et aux Pays-Bas, puis se tourne vers la Grande-Bretagne, oA Thomas Beddoes melangeait la chimie franA aise A la medecine et A la politique democratique. A la oree du 19e s., Humphry Davy, emergeant de la Institut Pneumatique de Beddoes (dont il se distancera rapidement), amena le chimie publique A Londres de faA on theAcentstrale. Les articles suivants montrent commont son ami, Coleridge, incorpora la science A une philosophie romantique de la nature, et comment Faraday developpa les travaux de Davy dans le domaine de la electrochimie, de la theorie de la matiere et en une theologie de la nature; la philosophie de la geologie de Hegel, elle aussi en arriva mA me A se baser sur la chimie. La derniere section explore les debats au sujet de la affinite, des qualities et de la arrangement chimiques."

Spis treści

Contents: Preface; Martinus van Marum (1750-1837): the introduction of Lavoisier’s chemistry into the Low Countries; Friendship and influence: Martinus van Marum, F.R.S.; Relations and rivalry: interactions between Britain and The Netherlands in 18th-century science and technology; Balance and gasometer in Lavoisier’s chemical revolution; Dr Thomas Beddoes at Oxford: radical politics in 1788-1793 and the fate of the Regius chair in chemistry; Dr Thomas Beddoes (1750-1808): science and medicine in politics and society; Dr Thomas Beddoes and the establishment of his Pneumatic Institution: a tale of three presidents; Dr Thomas Beddoes: the interaction of pneumatic and preventive medicine with chemistry; The rich economy of nature: chemistry in the 19th century; Elements in the structure of Victorian science, or Cannon revisited; Humphry Davy and the idea of glory; S.T. Coleridge: a poet’s view of science; Coleridge, chemistry and the philosophy of nature; Hegel and the earth sciences; Faraday, electrochemistry, and natural philosophy; Faraday, matter, and natural theology: reflections on an unpublished manuscript; Affinity or structure: an early problem in organic chemistry; Gay-Lussac and the problem of chemical qualities; Arrangement and structure: a distinction and a difference; Index.

O autorze

Trevor H. Levere