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Robert Boyle and the representation of imperceptible entities

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Robert Boyle and the representation of imperceptible entities. / Wragge-Morley, A.
In: British Journal for the History of Science, Vol. 51, No. 1, 01.03.2018, p. 17-40.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/MagazineJournal articlepeer-review

Harvard

Wragge-Morley, A 2018, 'Robert Boyle and the representation of imperceptible entities', British Journal for the History of Science, vol. 51, no. 1, pp. 17-40. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007087417000899

APA

Vancouver

Wragge-Morley A. Robert Boyle and the representation of imperceptible entities. British Journal for the History of Science. 2018 Mar 1;51(1):17-40. Epub 2017 Nov 6. doi: 10.1017/S0007087417000899

Author

Wragge-Morley, A. / Robert Boyle and the representation of imperceptible entities. In: British Journal for the History of Science. 2018 ; Vol. 51, No. 1. pp. 17-40.

Bibtex

@article{b59f7096e0464a37a3e86bc4e669b0cc,
title = "Robert Boyle and the representation of imperceptible entities",
abstract = "In this essay, I examine Robert Boyle's strategies for making imperceptible entities accessible to the senses. It is well known that, in his natural philosophy, Boyle confronted the challenge of making imperceptible particles of matter into objects of sensory experience. It has never been noted, however, that Boyle confronted a strikingly similar challenge in his natural theology – he needed to make an equally imperceptible God accessible to the senses. Taking this symmetrical difficulty as my starting point, I propose a new approach to thinking about the interconnections between Boyle's natural philosophy and natural theology. For the most part, studies of science and religion in the early modern period work by seeking out the influence of explicitly stated religious beliefs on scientific ideas. I argue, by contrast, that we need to focus on Boyle's representational practices, using his attempts to represent imperceptible entities as a means of uncovering metaphysical and theological presuppositions that he did not always articulate when stating his religious beliefs. With new interpretations of both A Discourse of Things Above Reason (1681) and Some Physico-Theological Considerations about the Possibility of the Resurrection (1675), I show that there were crucial similarities between Boyle's practices for representing both God and atoms. I go on to show, moreover, that Boyle used these practices to enact an ontological stance at odds with one of his most important professed beliefs.",
author = "A. Wragge-Morley",
year = "2018",
month = mar,
day = "1",
doi = "10.1017/S0007087417000899",
language = "English",
volume = "51",
pages = "17--40",
journal = "British Journal for the History of Science",
issn = "0007-0874",
publisher = "Cambridge University Press",
number = "1",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Robert Boyle and the representation of imperceptible entities

AU - Wragge-Morley, A.

PY - 2018/3/1

Y1 - 2018/3/1

N2 - In this essay, I examine Robert Boyle's strategies for making imperceptible entities accessible to the senses. It is well known that, in his natural philosophy, Boyle confronted the challenge of making imperceptible particles of matter into objects of sensory experience. It has never been noted, however, that Boyle confronted a strikingly similar challenge in his natural theology – he needed to make an equally imperceptible God accessible to the senses. Taking this symmetrical difficulty as my starting point, I propose a new approach to thinking about the interconnections between Boyle's natural philosophy and natural theology. For the most part, studies of science and religion in the early modern period work by seeking out the influence of explicitly stated religious beliefs on scientific ideas. I argue, by contrast, that we need to focus on Boyle's representational practices, using his attempts to represent imperceptible entities as a means of uncovering metaphysical and theological presuppositions that he did not always articulate when stating his religious beliefs. With new interpretations of both A Discourse of Things Above Reason (1681) and Some Physico-Theological Considerations about the Possibility of the Resurrection (1675), I show that there were crucial similarities between Boyle's practices for representing both God and atoms. I go on to show, moreover, that Boyle used these practices to enact an ontological stance at odds with one of his most important professed beliefs.

AB - In this essay, I examine Robert Boyle's strategies for making imperceptible entities accessible to the senses. It is well known that, in his natural philosophy, Boyle confronted the challenge of making imperceptible particles of matter into objects of sensory experience. It has never been noted, however, that Boyle confronted a strikingly similar challenge in his natural theology – he needed to make an equally imperceptible God accessible to the senses. Taking this symmetrical difficulty as my starting point, I propose a new approach to thinking about the interconnections between Boyle's natural philosophy and natural theology. For the most part, studies of science and religion in the early modern period work by seeking out the influence of explicitly stated religious beliefs on scientific ideas. I argue, by contrast, that we need to focus on Boyle's representational practices, using his attempts to represent imperceptible entities as a means of uncovering metaphysical and theological presuppositions that he did not always articulate when stating his religious beliefs. With new interpretations of both A Discourse of Things Above Reason (1681) and Some Physico-Theological Considerations about the Possibility of the Resurrection (1675), I show that there were crucial similarities between Boyle's practices for representing both God and atoms. I go on to show, moreover, that Boyle used these practices to enact an ontological stance at odds with one of his most important professed beliefs.

U2 - 10.1017/S0007087417000899

DO - 10.1017/S0007087417000899

M3 - Journal article

VL - 51

SP - 17

EP - 40

JO - British Journal for the History of Science

JF - British Journal for the History of Science

SN - 0007-0874

IS - 1

ER -