Overview
- Presents a previously untranslated book of Pierre Duhem
- Is the first 20th century history of 19th century electromagnetism
- Is an early polemical work of Maxwell’s theories
- Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras
Part of the book series: Boston Studies in the Philosophy and History of Science (BSPS, volume 314)
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Table of contents (9 chapters)
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Front Matter
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The Electrodynamics of Maxwell
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Front Matter
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Back Matter
Keywords
About this book
In this volume Pierre Duhem first gives an overview of 19th century electricity and magnetism. Next, he applies his keen historical, philosophical, and physical intuition to critiquing Maxwell’s theories, especially his electromagnetic theory of light and the ad hoc introduction of displacement current, which he considers too much a product of the “esprit de géométrie” than the “esprit de finesse,” as Pascal calls it.
In this book, Duhem is guided by the principle that a theory that offers contradictions, even if the theory is posed by a genius, needs to be analysed and discussed until a clear distinction can be made between the propositions likely to be logically demonstrated and statements that offend logic and which must be transformed or rejected.
Furthermore, Duhem felt, in criticizing such a theory one must guard against narrowness of mind and petty corrections which would make one forget the merit of the inventor; and, more importantly, one must guard against the blind superstition which, for admiration of the author, would hide the serious defects of the work. He is not so great a genius that he surpasses the laws of reason.
Pierre Duhem (1861-1916), chairman of theoretical physics at Bordeaux in 1984-1916, is well-known for his works in the history and philosophy of science.
Reviews
“Work translated here is a meticulous critical review of Maxwell’s derivation of the laws of electromagnetism. … Duhem’s analysis is detailed and technical. Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate students, researchers/faculty, and professionals/practitioners.” (D. Bantz, Choice, Vol. 53 (8), April, 2016)
Authors and Affiliations
About the author
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: The Electric Theories of J. Clerk Maxwell
Book Subtitle: A Historical and Critical Study
Authors: Pierre Maurice Marie Duhem
Series Title: Boston Studies in the Philosophy and History of Science
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-18515-6
Publisher: Springer Cham
eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and Law, History (R0)
Copyright Information: Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2015
Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-319-18514-9Published: 11 June 2015
Softcover ISBN: 978-3-319-36785-9Published: 09 October 2016
eBook ISBN: 978-3-319-18515-6Published: 01 June 2015
Series ISSN: 0068-0346
Series E-ISSN: 2214-7942
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XV, 185
Number of Illustrations: 1 b/w illustrations
Topics: History of Science, History and Philosophical Foundations of Physics, Philosophy of Science