It is well recognized that early modern physics represented a "geometrization" of nature. Considerable effort has been put forth in the endeavor to explicate the exact characteristics and extent of the contribution of geometry to the early development of physics. Nonetheless further investigation of this development is in order. / In this dissertation I fix the source of geometric influence on early modern physics in Book 5 of Euclids Elements, where the Eudoxian theory of proportion is developed for magnitudes in general. It is argued that it is the concept of magnitude in general, intuitively grounded in geometric magnitude in particular, which develops into the concept of physical magnitude or physical variable. Distinct but intimately intertwined and parallel to this development is the generalization of the theory of proportion, first to the theory of equations (functions) and finally into the experimental method. / A third element which contributes to the geometrization of nature in early modern physics is the geometrical method of analysis. This method, stated very briefly, works backward from that which is already known. This method was generalized by simply introducing variables for unknowns in solving equations. The geometric method of analysis may be further generalized to become the core of the experimental method: where the known quantities become the independent variables and the unknowns the dependent. / The philosophical lesson I draw from the geometrical contribution to early modern physics concerns theory-ladenness. What has been lacking in recent discussion of theory-ladenness is concrete, historical instances of it. It seems to me that the geometrical contribution to early modern physics provides and important and clear instance. To achieve this end I take a careful and rather detailed look at four important figures in early modern physics (1) Nicole Oresme, (2) Galileo Galilei, (3) Rene Descartes, (4) Isaac Newton. Special attention is given their experimental methodology. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 42-10, Section: A, page: 4558. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1981.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_74622 |
| Contributors | GARRISON, JAMES WESLEY., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 297 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
Page generated in 0.0045 seconds