All Was Light: An Introduction to Newton's Opticks - Softcover

Hall, A. Rupert

Softcover

ISBN 10: 019851798X ISBN 13: 9780198517986

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 1995

Synopsis

Opticks, Newton's most popular book, is a complex work of genius and the fruit of forty years of thought and investigation. Newton devoted various periods of experimentation to this final expression of his life's work and drew on the results of successive interactions with other scientists and thinkers. This introduction to his book disentangles the different layers of Newton's thought processes in terms of his contemporary influences, and details the development of the final text. It explains problems that arose from Newton's changing ideas during the course of the book's long preparation, touching on such controversial issues of the time as the concepts of atomism, force, and the aether. The author also looks in detail at the way Newton has been interpreted both at home and abroad. This readable, non-mathematical book serves as an excellent introduction to Newton and the great achievement of Opticks and will fascinate students and general readers interested in natural philosophy and the history of science.

About this title

About the Author

Rupert Hall, Emeritus Professor of History of Science and Technology, Imperial College, London.

From the Back Cover

Opticks is Newton's most popular book, It is a complex work, the fruit of forty years of experimentation to this final expression of his life's work and drew on the results of successive interactions with other scientists and thinkers. This introduction to his book seeks to disentangle the different layers of his thought in the light of these influences while explaining the development of the final text.

Edition details

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 1995
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 019851798X
• ISBN 13: 9780198517986
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 264