Robert Boyle and the Significance of Skill and Experience in Seventeenth-Century Natural Philosophy

The purpose of this study is to examine how English natural philosophers of the seventeenth century—in particular, Robert Boyle (1627-1691) considered and assessed the personal traits of skill and experience and the significance of these characteristics to the practice of seventeenth-century science. Boyle's writings reveal that skill and experience impacted various aspects of his seventeenth-century experimental natural philosophy, including the credibility assessment of tradesmen and eyewitnesses to natural phenomena, the contingencies involved in the making of experiments, and Boyle's statements about the requisite skills of experimental philosophy in contrast to other traditions. Subtopics explored include the popularization of science and Boyle's expectations concerning the future improvement of natural philosophy.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of North Texas

Year dc:date

2000

Author dc:creator

• Chipman, Gary V.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Morris, Marilyn
• Stern, Laura
• Tanner, Harold

• Boyle, Robert, 1627-1691.
• Science -- History -- 17th century.
• history of science
• seventeenth-century science
• natural philosophers
• experience
• skill

Statement dc:rights

• Public
• Copyright
• Chipman, Gary V.
• Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.

Language dc:language

English

Identifier

oclc: 47266042
https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc2652/
ark: ark:/67531/metadc2652

OAI identifier oai:identifier

info:ark/67531/metadc2652