Robert Boyle: A Free Enquiry into the Vulgarly Received Notion of Nature
£39.99
Part of Cambridge Texts in the History of Philosophy
- Real Author: Robert Boyle
- Editors:
- Edward B. Davis, Messiah College, Pennsylvania
- Michael Hunter, Birkbeck College, University of London
- Date Published: November 1996
- availability: Available
- format: Paperback
- isbn: 9780521567961
£
39.99
Paperback
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In this book, published in 1686, the scientist Robert Boyle (1627–91) attacked prevailing notions of the natural world which depicted 'Nature' as a wise, benevolent and purposeful being. Boyle, one of the leading mechanical philosophers of his day, believed that the world was best understood as a vast, impersonal machine, fashioned by an infinite, personal God. In this cogent treatise, he drew on his scientific findings, his knowledge of contemporary medicine and his deep reflection on theological and philosophical issues, arguing that it was inappropriate both theologically and scientifically to speak of Nature as if it had a mind of its own: instead, the only true efficient causes of things were the properties and powers given to matter by God. As such, A Free Enquiry into the Vulgarly Received Notion of Nature represents one of the subtlest statements concerning the philosophical issues raised by the mechanical philosophy to emerge from the period of the scientific revolution.
Read more- Only complete text by Boyle in print
- Key work for understanding seventeenth-century preoccupations
- probably the best book available on Boyle
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×Product details
- Date Published: November 1996
- format: Paperback
- isbn: 9780521567961
- length: 212 pages
- dimensions: 229 x 153 x 13 mm
- weight: 0.309kg
- availability: Available
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
List of abbreviations
Introduction
Chronology
A note on the text
A Free Enquiry into the Vulgarly Received Notion of Nature
The Preface
Section I
Section II
Section III
Section IV
Section V
Section VI
Section VII
Section VIII
Glossary
Index.
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