Kelvin and Stokes, A Comparative Study in Victorian PhysicsKelvin and Stokes were key members of that nineteenth-century group of British physicists which ranks as one of the most important collections of scientists in the whole history of science. Almost exact contemporaries, they were friends whose ideas and careers intertwined for over half a century, as documented by their surviving correspondence of over 650 letters. Both were seminal figures in the history of physics and in the history of Victorian science. This volume places them in both contexts. It examines not only their views of physical theory, but also institutional, theological, and methodological themes. This book will appeal to readers from many different fields. An elementary understanding of physics and a familiarity with Victorian science would be helpful, but not necessary. The author has aimed to make the book accessible not only to physicists and historians of science, but also to those with an interest in science education, science methodology, and the interplay between science and religion. |
Contents
The EarlyVictorian Background | 17 |
Professors | 41 |
Religion and Science | 74 |
Copyright | |
6 other sections not shown
Common terms and phrases
Aberration of Light astronomy atom Baltimore Lectures Becquerel Boscovich's British Association Cambridge University Press cathode rays Challis Challis's Chapter concept conditional immortality correspondence Crookes's CUL Kelvin Collection CUL Stokes Collection discussed Dynamical Theory earth elastic-solid electricity and magnetism electrions energy engineering ether and matter ethereal waves evolution example experimental experiments explained Faraday Faraday effect fluid Fresnel's G F Fitzgerald George Gabriel Stokes Glasgow University Herschel Hist hydrodynamics hypothesis Ibid idea Joseph Larmor kinetic Larmor London Lord Kelvin luminiferous ether Maxwell Maxwell's mechanical Meikleham Memoir molecular molecules motion natural philosophy natural philosophy class Natural Theology notebook optics paper particles phenomena Phil physicists professor radioactivity radium Royal Society Rutherford scientific Stokes and Thomson Stokes to Thomson Stokes's Stokes's and Thomson's Stokes's course Theory of Heat theory of light thought tripos undulatory theory velocity vibrations Victorian Whewell William Thomson wrangler wrote