Abstract
THE eighteenth century witnessed the bitter controversies between the Cartesian and the Newtonian conception of the physical world. For decades, the Cartesians tried all the subtleties of logic and science to defend the vortex theory against the views based on universal attraction. But in the end, they had to give way; and the popular defence of Newton's philosophy by Voltaire marked the turning of the tide. It is the epic of these controversies which Prof. Brunet describes for us with a wealth of details giving a scholarly interest to his exposition. The opposition of the Cartesians can be explained by the fact that their master's theory was the first universal explanation of the world, independent of the occult forces which were in favour during previous centuries. The scientific atmosphere of the time was quite at ease with the mechanist conception of Descartes, and loathed any system which had even a vague resemblance to occult qualities. No doubt these controversies help to clear the implications of Newton's system of the dogmatic blemishes which had to be ultimately recognised in Descartes' cosmology. In bringing to light such and other important points, Prof. Brunet has rendered a great service to the history of science.
Introduction des théories de Newton en France au XVIIe siècle avant 1738.
Prof.
Pierre
Brunet
Par. Pp. vii + 355. (Paris: Albert Blan-chard, 1931.) 55 francs.
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G., T. Introduction des théories de Newton en France au XVIIe siècle avant 1738. Nature 130, 564 (1932). https://doi.org/10.1038/130564a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/130564a0