The fellowship : the story of a revolution ; [they demanded to see the world for themselves

John Gribbin, bestselling author of In Search of Schrodinger's Cat, explores the defining decades of the seventeenth century's scientific revolution, when the Royal Society established what became the' scientific method, a way of doing and communicating science that set the tone for the three and a half centuries that followed. In The Fellowship he describes the origins of the Royal Society, which grew out of meetings held in Oxford during the Civil War, and latterly in London, among natural philosophers', especially through the efforts of three men: William Gilbert, Francis Bacon, and William Harvey. The extraordinary return in 1759 of a comet that, on the basis of Newton's theory of gravity, had been predicted by Edmond Halley, marked the triumph of this scientific revolution. From the bestselling author of Science: A History comes the enthralling story of a revolution that shook the world. Seventeenth-century England was racked by civil war, plague and fire; a world ruled by superstition and ignorance. A series of meetings of 'natural philosophers' in Oxford and London saw the beginning of a new method of thinking based on proof and experiment. John Gribbin's gripping, colourful account of this unparalleled time of discovery explores the impact of the Royal Society, culminating with Isaac Newton's revolutionary description of the universe and Edmund Halley's prediction of the return of a comet in 1759. This compelling book shows the triumph not as the work of one isolated genius, but of a Fellowship. Seventeenth Century England Was A Land Ruled By Supposition, Superstition And Magic - But Thanks To The Founding Of The Royal Society, A Revolution Was About To Begin Which Would Change The Face Of The World Forever. John Gribbin Explores The Lives Of Gilbert, Bacon And Harvey, Whose Beliefs Have Shaped Much Of Modern Science. 1. Scientific Minds -- 2. The Philosopher Scientist -- 3. Making The Transition -- 4. The Roots Of The Royal I : The Oxford Connection -- 5. The Roots Of The Royal Ii : The King's Men -- 6. The Man Who Made It Work -- 7. Tribulation And Triumph -- 8. The Icing On The Cake. John Gribbin. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 319-322) And Index. John Gribbin explores the defining decades of the seventeenth century's scientific revolution, establishing the 'scientific method' of doing and communicating science that set the tone for the three and a half centuries that followed. He describes the origins of the Royal Society, which grew out of meetings held during the Civil War.