The First Professional Scientist: Robert Hooke and the Royal Society of London (Science Networks. Historical Studies, 39)

A contemporary of Christopher Wren, Robert Boyle, and Isaac Newton, and close friend of all but Newton, Robert Hooke (1635-1703), one of the founders of the early scientific revolution, faded into almost complete obscurity after his death and remained there for nearly three centuries. The result has been that his role in the scientific revolution has been almost totally ignored. He was best known as the first professional scientist worthy of the name, working for the young Royal Society of London as its curator of experiments for four decades. He became the Society’s intellectual center, and for a while its Secretary, roles which led to his famous confrontation with Newton. Hooke was an amazingly diverse scientist, interested in pneumatics, magnetism, astronomy, mechanics, horology, optics, microscopy, gravity, and changes in the earth. His Micrographia, published in 1665, is one of the classics of the literature of early modern science. In addition he has a more practical career in surveying, construction, and architecture, and was second in importance only to Christopher Wren in the rebuilding of London after the Great Fire of 1666. Many of the so-called "Wren churches" are Hooke designs. A unique aspect of this book is the emphasis on the way Hooke provided Newton with the key to understanding planetary dynamics, paving the way for the discoveries that made Newton one of the greatest scientists of all time. 3034600364......Page 1 Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 12 Preface......Page 14 Annotations......Page 19 1. Restoring Robert Hooke......Page 21 Hooke and London......Page 24 Annotations......Page 28 2. Robert Hooke, Indefaticable Genius: Hooke and London......Page 33 The Diary......Page 38 Hooke and Wren......Page 42 Conclusion......Page 44 Annotations......Page 45 3. Promoting Physico-Mathematical-Experimental Learning: Founding the Royal Society of London......Page 53 Annotations......Page 59 4. Society of the Muses: The First Decade......Page 65 Focused Energies:The Laws of Motion......Page 73 Concluding the First Decade......Page 76 Annotations......Page 78 5. Crisis and Consolidation: 1672–1687......Page 85 Annotations......Page 89 6. The Society After the Principia: 1688–1703......Page 93 Annotations......Page 97 First Discoveries......Page 101 Hooke and the Royal Society, 1662–1677......Page 104 Hooke and Oldenburg, 1675–1677......Page 111 Hooke and the Society after Oldenburg; 1677–1687......Page 118 "Restless Genius: " Hooke as Scientist......Page 121 The Hooke Folio, 2006......Page 134 Conclusion: Micrographia......Page 135 Annotations......Page 138 8. And All Was Light: Hooke and Newton on Light and Color......Page 155 Hooke's Theory of Light......Page 157 Newton's Theory......Page 159 Debate after 1672......Page 160 Annotations......Page 164 Introduction......Page 169 Hooke's Natural Philosophy......Page 170 Light; Matter, and Motion......Page 173 Natural Philosophy and Newton......Page 177 Conclusion......Page 179 Annotations......Page 180 Introduction: Hooke and Planetary Dynamics......Page 185 Halley and Newton......Page 191 Huygens......Page 193 Hooke and Universal Gravitation......Page 194 Hooke and Newton, 1679......Page 197 Hooke's "Laws of Circular Motion"......Page 202 Newton, Gravitation, and the Kepler Problem, 1665–1987......Page 207 Conclusion......Page 209 Annotations......Page 210 11. The Omnipotence of the Creator: Robert Hooke, Astronomer......Page 223 Telescopes and Optics......Page 225 Hooke As An Observer......Page 227 Comets......Page 234 Stellar Parallax......Page 236 Annotations......Page 240 Introduction......Page 247 Hooke and Newton......Page 249 1687–1703......Page 251 Annotations......Page 257 Introduction......Page 261 Legacy......Page 263 Conclusion......Page 267 Annotations......Page 268 Bibliography......Page 271 B......Page 285 C......Page 286 G......Page 287 H......Page 288 M......Page 296 N......Page 297 P......Page 298 R......Page 299 W......Page 300 Birkhäuser Basel 3034600364 1 Contents 8 Acknowledgments 12 Preface 14 Annotations 19 1. Restoring Robert Hooke 21 Hooke and London 24 Annotations 28 2. Robert Hooke, Indefaticable Genius: Hooke and London 33 The Diary 38 Hooke and Wren 42 Conclusion 44 Annotations 45 3. Promoting Physico-Mathematical-Experimental Learning: Founding the Royal Society of London 53 Annotations 59 4. Society of the Muses: The First Decade 65 Focused Energies:The Laws of Motion 73 Concluding the First Decade 76 Annotations 78 5. Crisis and Consolidation: 1672–1687 85 Annotations 89 6. The Society After the Principia: 1688–1703 93 Annotations 97 7. Scientific Virtuoso: Hooke 1655–1687 101 First Discoveries 101 Hooke and the Royal Society, 1662–1677 104 Hooke and Oldenburg, 1675–1677 111 Hooke and the Society after Oldenburg; 1677–1687 118 "Restless Genius: " Hooke as Scientist 121 The Hooke Folio, 2006 134 Conclusion: Micrographia 135 Annotations 138 8. And All Was Light: Hooke and Newton on Light and Color 155 Hooke's Theory of Light 157 Newton's Theory 159 Debate after 1672 160 Annotations 164 9. The Nature of Things Themselves: Robert Hooke, Natural Philosopher 169 Introduction 169 Hooke's Natural Philosophy 170 Light; Matter, and Motion 173 Natural Philosophy and Newton 177 Conclusion 179 Annotations 180 10. The System of the World: Hooke and Universal Gravitation, the Inverse-square Law, and Planetary Orbits 185 Introduction: Hooke and Planetary Dynamics 185 Halley and Newton 191 Huygens 193 Hooke and Universal Gravitation 194 Hooke and Newton, 1679 197 Hooke's "Laws of Circular Motion" 202 Newton, Gravitation, and the Kepler Problem, 1665–1987 207 Conclusion 209 Annotations 210 11. The Omnipotence of the Creator: Robert Hooke, Astronomer 223 Telescopes and Optics 225 Hooke As An Observer 227 Comets 234 Stellar Parallax 236 Conclusion 240 Annotations 240 12. The Last Remain: Hooke After the Principia, 1687–1703 247 Introduction 247 Hooke and Newton 249 1687–1703 251 Annotations 257 Epilogue 261 Introduction 261 Legacy 263 Conclusion 267 Annotations 268 Bibliography 271 Index 285 A 285 B 285 C 286 D 287 E 287 F 287 G 287 H 288 I 296 J 296 K 296 L 296 M 296 N 297 O 298 P 298 R 299 S 300 T 300 V 300 W 300 ISBN-13:,9783034600361 ISBN-13: 9783034600361 A contemporary of Christopher Wren, Robert Boyle, and Isaac Newton, and close friend of all but Newton, Robert Hooke (1635-1703), one of the founders of the early scientific revolution, faded into almost complete obscurity after his death and remained there for nearly three centuries. The result has been that his role in the scientific revolution has been almost totally ignored. He was the first professional scientist worthy of the name, working for the young Royal Society of London as its curator of experiments for four decades. He became the Society’s intellectual center, and for a while its Secretary, roles which led to confrontation with Newton. He made important contributions to pneumatics, mechanics, microscopy, astronomy, and geology, and was partner to Wren in rebuilding London after the Fire.