Before Newton: The Life and Times of Isaac Barrow by Mordechai Feingold (PDF)

Description

A comprehensive reevaluation of Isaac Barrow (1630-1677), one of the more prominent and intriguing of all seventeenth-century men of science. Barrow is remembered today–if at all–only as Sir Isaac Newton’s mentor and patron, but he in fact made important contributions to the disciplines of optics and geometry. Moreover, he was a prolific and influential preacher as well as a renowned classical scholar. By seeking to understand Barrow’s mathematical work, primarily within the confines of the pre-Newtonian scientific framework, the book offers a substantial rethinking of his scientific acumen. In addition to providing a biographical study of Barrow, it explores the intimate connections among his scientific, philological, and religious worldviews in an attempt to convey the complexity of the seventeenth-century culture that gave rise to Isaac Barrow, a breed of polymath that would become increasingly rare with the advent of modern science.

User’s Reviews

Editorial Reviews: Review “A scholarly, carefully researched book for all students of 17th-century intellectual history and history of science.” Choice”…a model worthy of emulation. By focusing the attention of scholars on a single object–a theme…or a particularly representative figure…such a volume refreshes and revives the scholarly debate. Feingold and the Cambridge Universiy Press deserve our plaudits.” Robert H. Kargon, Albion”…an interesting case study of the seventeenth-century culture which produced modern science. An excellent book for any scholar interested in a more detailed understanding of the early development of science in general and Isaac Barrow’s contributions in particular.” Perceptual and Motor Skills”Barrow emerges as an interesting person living in interesting times, and Feingold’s book captures this in a scholarly manner.” Tom McMullen, Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society Book Description A comprehensive re-evaluation of Isaac Barrow (1630–1677), one of the more prominent and intriguing of all seventeenth-century men of science.

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐Feingold spends a lot of time on the politics of Cambridge. Useful if interested in background. Shows the concern of Barrow and others for the new influence of Decarte on the students. Good quote of Barrow saying that Decarte’s science is based on mental construction not drawn from experience. Today Cartesianism still has strong grip on western culture, even though Newton disproved it.Page 28 quotes Barrow on Decarte, “it sends good to him, not to learn from things, but to impose his own laws on things. First, he collected and set up metaphysical truths which he considered suitable to his theory from notions implanted in his own mind. . . next from these he descended into general principles of nature; and then generally advanced to particulars explicable from principales which, forsooth, he had framed without consulting nature.” Pure rationalism. The English took the lead in offering alternatives to Decarte. This formed the basis of the scientific revolution.Page 54 Feingold explains Barrow’s thought, “Barrow’s form of rational theology was already in an advanced stage, for it anticipates his subsequent preaching that the foundation of religion lies on ground as solid and rational as mathematics.” Mathematics is the religion still accepted today. These men understood it is an act of faith to trust mathematics. They meditated on the foundations of thought. Not understood in today’s culture. A carefully reasoned faith in mathematics has become a blind, unreasonable superstition. Used in ways that these men would never approve.He then quotes a prayer Barrow puy on his manuscript of Apollonius:”how great it geometrician art thou, O Lord! For a while this science has no bounds, while there is forever room for the discovery of new theorems , even by human faculties. . . Whence it is that in so many men are almost so many minds. But in these geometrical theorems all man are agreed.”John Duton commented in Barrow, ” There is without doubt but a very few men, amongst those reasons which induce them to wish for heaven, give this, of expecting the happiness of a perfect knowledge of the mathematics there.” Math was taking a leading place in the search for eternal truth that could bring peace to society.Quotes john Hall, a student, referring to mathematics ; “and recall men’s minds by delicate ravishing contemplations, from the sordid juggling use of those instruments on which now so perversely unanimously doat.” Math was developing into the new religion.Barrow traveled to Turkey and spent some months there. Studied Islam. Later commented; “a mass of absurd opinions, odd stories, and uncouth ceremonies, compounded chiefly of the doings of Christian heresies, together with some ingredients of Judaism and paganism, confusedly jumbled or unskillfully tempered together.” This is a man who read the Bible in Hebrew and Greek. He could compare Islam and Christianity with insight.In his 40’s left Cambridge to preach. Grew to the opinion that Christianity is the basis for future hope, not mathematics. Friends worked to assign him to important position due to his learning and piety. Known as the foremost preacher in England. He became the Chaplin to Charles II. He was called ‘the exhaustive preacher’ by Charles because when he was done explaining a theme, there was nothing left to say.His analysis of Christian doctrine still interesting. Defended free will against the Calvinists and the determinists. Gave a famous sermon on “Evil Speaking”. Detailed analysis of gossip, slander, injurious speech and so on using Biblical texts.Not an easy read. Written for scholars. Lots of detail and copious footnotes. A good reference book.

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