The response to the principle of interference (1801–1815)

Abstract

It has long been considered an historical anomaly that Young’s wave theory was not accepted before 1816. Some scholars claim, however, that this response was not at all unusual, since the theory did not, in fact, deserve to be accepted.¹ As I have shown above, however, Young’s theory was not so severely flawed that it should have been completely ignored or rejected. I intend to argue that the principle of interference was rejected at the time for two reasons: 1) some scientists considered it to be a part of the wave theory, which they disliked; 2) others agreed to separate the two but could not imagine a mechanical model of interference of light. It will be shown that both groups misunderstood the principle of interference as a non-Newtonian theory of colors.