The Image of Science as a Threat: Burke versus Priestley and the ‘Philosophic Revolution’

摘要: So much of the history science has been written from point view scientist or proto-scientist that it may be salutary for modern reader occasionally to consider how and its early practitioners were viewed outside. We must not too surprised if a pioneering activity performed by controversial agents was misunderstood misrepresented what emerges is, therefore, sometimes less portrait than caricature. are concerned here with natural philosophers actually did they thought have done, stand for. The image is more influential reality. Considering period studied one major political social unrest principal spokesman, Edmund Burke (1729–1797), had made his reputation mainly in arena parliamentary politics, we can anticipate rather polemic dispassionate argument. In formation public opinion colourful exaggeration even an occasional sneer often effective objective exposition case. spectacles through which looked at world magnified distorted, but produced knowledge society shared many contemporaries considerable subsequent influence.