The First Professional Scientist Robert Hooke and the Royal Society of London

About this book

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 pivot, 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.

Contents

Acknowledgments.- Preface.- Restoring Robert Hooke.- Robert Hooke: Indefatigable Genius": Hooke and London.- "Promoting Physico-Mathematical-Experimental Learning": Founding the Royal Society of London.- "Society of the Muses": The First Decade.- Crisis and Consolidation: 1672-1687.- The Society after the Principia: 1688-1703.- Scientific Virtuoso: Hooke 1655-1687.- "And All Was Light": Hooke and Newton on Light and Color.- "The Nature of Things Themselves": Robert Hooke, Natural Philosopher.- The System of the World: Hooke and Universal Gravitation, the Inverse-Square Law, and Planetary Orbits.- "The Omnipotence of the Creator": Robert Hooke, Astronomer.- "The Last Remain": Hooke After the Principia.- Epilogue.- Bibliography

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