Natural Philosophy by Nicholas Maxwell - Book Review Example

Author:  Nicholas Maxwell

City of publication/publisher/year: Montreal &Kingston, London, Chicago: McGill-Queens University Press 2017

Number of pages:

ISBN 978-0-7735-4902-9 (cloth)

ISBN 978-0-7735-4903-6 (paper)

ISBN 978-0-7735-4904-3 (ePDF)

ISBN 978-0-7735-4905-0 (ePUB)

Price: Kindle edition 11.32 USD,/hardback edition 29.93 USD

Introduction

In praise of natural philosophy is a unique book that attempts to bring into the picture a relationship between three components which philosophy, science and natural science. This is the main aim of the book authored by Maxwell. The approach and choice of thought that the author adopted to send the message across the board are impeccable. Through, the book, the author target to trigger different thoughts as well as challenge existing thoughts about science and philosophy. Some of the unique issues triggered by the author include the role of science and philosophy in responding to the broad human needs as well as interests. The readers of this book will agree with the fact that it helps in understanding the origin of science. This review will look at the central concept in the book as well as the main message around natural and the significance of the message today.

Summary

According to the author, modern science would never have been a reality in the absence of natural philosophy. Scientific facts are a product of natural philosophies through which famous scientists such as Isaac Newton developed scientific theories. The beginning of scientific facts through philosophy targeted to enhance the understanding of nature, environment and the forces of nature. It has been indicated that later the death of natural philosophy became inevitable but gave birth to the science and philosophy.

I explain the concept of triumph of natural philosophy the author intends to explain how the natural philosophy is the absolute genesis of science. It has also been explained that science began as an experimental philosophy where pioneers were never aware of what they expected whenever conducting experiments. The differentiation of science and philosophy is believed to have occurred in the period between the sixteenth and the seventeenth century. Famous pioneers such as Isaac Newton and Galileo have been mentioned in the book and their different contribution towards the birth of science and philosophy which include knowledge of gravity and the planet as a globe respectively. Philosophers such as Descartes have been recognized for their enormous contribution in the field of mathematics. In this book, Maxwell explains how the Copernician revolution led to the fall of Aristotelianism. It is the knowledge of the solar system is said to have been an initial idea of famous scientists and philosopher known as Copernicus. Newton also used the same concept in the ideas published in the Principia. This is a theory that was later developed and forms an important part of knowledge in modern science. As one approaches the final chapters of the book, the author elaborates on the relationship between social science and natural philosophy. The evidence is provided to prove that social science is also a product of natural philosophy. The same applies to the concepts and ideas adopted the field of humanities. Failures of philosophy failed t answer some basic facts about nature, and this prompted scientists such as Newton to opt for the experimental approach. The emergence of science used the concept of philosophy to come up with the main question, why and how things happen?

The book has achieved its goal in various ways. One, for a reader who intends to understand the origin of science, Maxwells publication has an elaborate explanation. After reading the book, it is evident that science and philosophy are closely related and somehow inseparable. Maxwell has used examples of various philosophers of natural philosophy and how their ideas ended up in the fields of science. From the examples provided by the author such as the shift triggered by Copernicus, emergent of scientific facts such as the solar system became a reality. Maxwell has also provided an in-depth explanation of the situation that brought out the failures of natural philosophy that triggered the necessity for science and philosophy. The message is also clear that science need philosophy and the vice-versa is also correct. An example of Kepler has been provided who began his discoveries by studying the concepts of theology. Later, the scientist chose to venture into the field of astronomy where he contributed to the knowledge of the Cosmos. Keplers ideas provided insights to the later scientists that space science can be understood using a mathematical approach.

The book suggests various possibilities with regards to science and philosophy. It is important to recognize the central idea of the book is that natural philosophy paved the way for science and philosophy. Thus there is a possibility that both science and philosophy are inseparable even though they differ in significance. In the modern era, science is a home of facts where the proof is required to justify opinions. Basing on the rules of reasoning of philosophy, the book suggests possibilities of intellectual reasoning in the development of scientific ideas. For instance, one of the rules states that natural things that occur have explanations in the field of science. This implies that even the newest occurrence in nature can be explained using science. Therefore, the field of scientific discovery is still open and full of many possibilities. The second line of reasoning states that natural effects can be associated with causes thus leaving the field of science full of possibilities. Considering these facts presented by Maxwell in his publication, then the field of science and philosophy is full of possibilities. This book can be beneficial to emerge scientists and can help increase positive thinking towards the field of science and philosophy.

As far as the book has been instrumental in explaining the origin of science, it is important to acknowledge the fact that some critical facts might have been left out. Maxwell focused on explaining the shift from natural philosophy to science and philosophy. On the other hand, the modern approach of science bases more on research rather than philosophy. It was necessary for the author to explain the difference that emerges as far as modern science and ancient science is concerned. Is it possible that modern technologies might have evolved from philosophical thoughts? And how exactly did such philosophical thought contribute to these developments.

The information presented by Maxwell can be traced in other publications that focus on natural philosophy, philosophy, and science. According to Cahan (2013), natural philosophy is the mother of sciences. This book focused on the development in the nineteenth century where most scientific discoveries that shape the modern science were formed. According to Cahan (2013), a lot of scientific discoveries that were made in the early 1700s were interchangeably understood as natural philosophy. However, more developments in the field of philosophy provided an avenue for the development of science. In another publication by (Malament) titled, Essays in the History and Philosophy of Science and Mathematics, it has been explained that science and mathematics are a product of philosophical thoughts. According to the publication, scientists such as Isaac Newton developed their ideas from existing philosophical thoughts also identified as natural philosophical thought. The author explains how Newton developed ideas from the science of philosophy and space. Important contribution of Howards Stein to the philosophy of science has also been discussed. Three aspects that have been discussed include the origin of metaphysics, epistemology, and methodology have been associated with natural philosophy. According to Eddy, the shift from natural philosophy to natural science took place between 1700 to 1900. This period has been said to have experienced enormous shifts that led to the conception of modern science. The book has approached the idea with different angles as well as examples to explain how science developed from natural philosophy. All these examples indicate that the maxwells publication is a reflection of many other publications on the similar topic. The approaches used by the different authors to explain the shift is almost similar.

Having looked at the book authored by Maxwell, it is evident that most of the information is convincing. This because similar opinions have been shared by other authors whose works have also been discussed in brief. It is convincing that natural philosophy made an important contribution towards the development of science. However, the field of natural philosophy also developed to pure philosophy. It is not the first time I have read about a similar topic, and I believe that evidence from other authors is enough proof that the theoretical knowledge of the development of science is reliable.

At a personal level, I have had a challenge of differentiating theory, philosophy and science. All these are related, and it may be hard to explain which one affects the other. However, through continuous research and studies, the difference has been established. One of the difference and elaboration has been provided by Maxwell. Modern science and modern philosophy is a product of natural philosophy.

This book authored by Maxwell was efficient in presenting its central theme. The evidence presented through examples has proven the depth of knowledge of the author as far as the concept is concerned. One can easily understand the shift from natural philosophy to science and philosophy after reading the book. The book further explains how natural philosophy has also been influential in the development of concepts in social science.

Works Cited

Cahan, David. From Natural Philosophy to the Sciences: Writing the History of Nineteenth-Century Science. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2003.

Eddy, Mathew D. Science and Beliefs: From Natural Philosophy to Natural Science, 1700-1900. London: Routledge, 2017.

Malament, David. Reading Natural Philosophy: Essays in the History and Philosophy of Science and Mathematics. Chicago: Open Court Publishing, 2002.