Optics in the age of Euler : conceptions of the nature of light, 1700-1795

This book studies the eighteenth-century origins and early phase of a fundamental debate in optics: whether light is a particle or wave. Specifically, it is the first in-depth study of the contents and reception of Leonhard Euler's wave theory of light. The author shows that contrary to what has been assumed, the debate did not start in 1672 with Newton's particle theory of light. Rather, it only really got under way after Euler published his wave theory in 1746. He also corrects the misapprehension that Newton's theory was prevalently held in Germany in the early years of the debate, but really only became dominant around 1795. In his discussion, Professor Hakfoort demonstrates in dramatic fashion the relevance of chemical experiments on physical optics. Finally, in the epilogue, the author reflects on the mathematical, experimental, and metaphysical aspects of physical optics that shaped early modern science. According To Received Historiography, The Fundamental Issue In Eighteenth-century Optics Was Whether Light Could Be Understood As The Emission Of Particles Or As The Motion Of Waves In A Subtle Medium. Moreover, The Emission Theory Of Light Was Supposed To Have Been Dominant In The Eighteenth Century, Backed By Newton's Physical Arguments. This Picture Is Enriched And Qualified By Focussing On The Origins, Contents, And Reception Of Leonhard Euler's Wave Theory Of Light Published In 1746, Here Studied In Depth For The First Time. Contrary To What Has Been Assumed, In An Important Sense, The Particle-wave Debate Only Starts With Euler. In Addition, Euler's Wave Theory Was The Most Popular Theory In Germany For Thirty-five Years. Finally, When The Emission View Of Light Suddenly Became Dominant In Germany Around 1795, New Chemical Experiments Were Crucial. Reflecting On The Mathematical, Experimental, And Metaphysical Aspects Of Physical Optics, Casper Hakfoort Provides As An Epilogue A General Picture Of Early Modern Science. 1. Introduction. 1. Condensation And Presentism In The Historiography Of Optics. 2. Terminology And Outline Of This Book -- 2. The Debate On Colours, 1672-1720. 1. Newton's Theory Of Colours. 2. Reception Of Newton's Theory Of Colours -- 3. Theoretical Traditions In Physical Optics, 1700-45. 1. Development Of The Emission Tradition. 2. Development Of The Medium Tradition. 3. The Relationship Of The Optical Traditions -- 4. Euler's 'nova Theoria' (1746). 1. Euler's Place In The Medium Tradition. 2. Arguments For And Against. 3. The Content Of The Theory. 4. The Influence And Significance Of The 'nova Theoria' -- 5. The Debate In Germany On The Nature Of Light, 1740-95 -- 1. Introduction. 2. Early Reactions To Euler's Argumentation. 3. Physical Phenomena. 4. Colour And Phosphorescence. 5. The Chemical Effects Of Light. 6. Chemistry Turns The Scales -- 6. Epilogue: Optics As A Minor Of Eighteenth-century Science. 1. Kuhn's Outline: Mathematical And Experimental Traditions. 2. An Addition To The Scheme: The Natural Philosophical Tradition. 3. The Three-fold Division And Eighteenth-century Optics. 4. On Early Modern Science. Casper Hakfoort. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [219]-234) And Index. According to received historiography, the fundamental issue in eighteenth-century optics was whether light could be understood as the emission of particles, or as the motion of waves in a subtle medium. Moreover, the emission theory of light was supposed to have been dominant in the eighteenth century, backed by Newton's physical arguments. This picture is enriched and qualified by focusing on the origins, contents and reception of the wave theory of light, published by Leonhard Euler in 1746, studied in depth in this 1995 book. Contrary to what has been assumed, the particle–wave debate only starts with Euler. When the emission view of light suddenly became dominant in Germany around 1795, it was new chemical experiments that proved crucial. Reflecting on the mathematical, experimental and metaphysical aspects of physical optics, a general picture of early modern science is outlined in the epilogue to the book. Optics in the age of Euler Conceptions Of The Nature Of Light, 1700-1795......Page 4 Contents......Page 6 Acknowledgements......Page 8 1 Introduction......Page 10 2 The debate on colours, 1672-1720......Page 20 3 Theoretical traditions in physical optics, 1700-45......Page 36 4 Euler's 'Nova theoria' (1746)......Page 81 5 The debate in Germany on the nature of light, 1740-95......Page 126 6 Epilogue: Optics as a mirror of eighteenth-century......Page 185 Notes......Page 202 Bibliography......Page 228 Index......Page 244 What is light? Is it a particle or a wave? This book studies the eighteenth-century origins and early phases of this key debate in optics. This is a revised 1995 translation of a book published in Dutch in 1986. Research, both from the author and by others, has been taken into account. The aim of this work is to make a two-fold contribution to the study of eighteenth-century science.