Newton and the Culture of Newtonianism (The Control of Nature) [Paperback]

Betty Jo Teeter Dobbs (Author), Margaret C. Jacob (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1573925454 | ISBN-13: 978-1573925457 | Publication Date: December 1994

This insightful work examines what happened to Newton's science as it was interpreted by his major followers. The authors also look at the scientific culture that Newton helped to create and the impact that his ideas had on the rapidly developing technology that led to the Industrial Revolution.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...clearly the result of a thorough familiarity with much of the Newtonian historiography...it will undoubtedly be of much use..." -- Isis, March 1996

Product Details

• Paperback: 139 pages
• Publisher: Humanity Books (December 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1573925454
• ISBN-13: 978-1573925457
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #98,870 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars High School History of Science, August 16, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Newton and the Culture of Newtonianism (The Control of Nature) (Paperback)

Dobbs and Jacob provide a very good introduction to the history of science at a high school level. This is a rare thing in an academic discipline that, like many others, increasingly limits its audience to other specialists in the field. The chapters are well written and the book avoids being an excessively laudatory biography, despite its focus on one of the "Great Men" of science. If the book has one shortcoming it is that the chapters do not fit together well to form a coherent whole. It shows some of the roughness indicative of a cooperative work.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Scoop on Newton, September 1, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Newton and the Culture of Newtonianism (The Control of Nature) (Paperback)

What a terrific introduction to the origins of modern science! The authors have provided a balanced, lucid and engaging treatment of a pivotal topic in modern science and culture. The book falls into two parts. The first section provides a thumbnail sketch of Newton's life and scientific achievements, written with a talent for abbreviated grace. The second section shifts to the multifaceted impact of Newton's achievement and surveys the origins of both the Enlightenment and the First Industrial Revolution with panache. The authors, top scholars in their fields, have written an excellent, short book on a big subject for students and the general reader. It's just what we need but rarely get.