Electricity in the 17th and 18th Centuries: A Study of Early Modern Physics

Electricity in the 17th and 18th Centuries: A Study of Early Modern Physics examines the development of electricity during the Scientific Revolution, offering a comprehensive analysis of its evolving understanding. The study unfolds in three stages: the first, until 1700, was marked by narrow exploration and premature attempts to systematize electrical phenomena; the second, spanning the early 18th century, saw the discovery of new phenomena that couldn't be explained by existing philosophies, with experimental philosophers at the forefront; and the third stage, by the late 18th century, saw electricity being quantified, particularly in the realm of electrostatics. The book provides an insightful account of the transition from theoretical abstraction to practical experimentation, highlighting the slow and incremental progress made by scientists in understanding electricity, culminating in the work of figures like Franklin, Cavendish, and Coulomb.

The book delves into the institutional and intellectual frameworks that shaped the study of electricity during these centuries, emphasizing the significant role of the Catholic Church, particularly the Jesuits, in fostering experimental physics. It explores the challenges early electricians faced, such as inconsistent results caused by external factors like humidity and the peculiarities of materials like glass and gems. The author also scrutinizes the development of electrical theories, including the transition from effluvial models to more modern, quantifiable concepts like charge, capacity, and tension. By analyzing the Leyden jar and other key apparatus, the book traces how these tools helped clarify the nature of electricity, contributing to the eventual acceptance of Newtonian approaches to electrical theory.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press's mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1979.