Comets, Pollen and Dreams: Some Reflections on Scientific Explanation

Abstract

The Newtonian synthesis, which provided the basis for all of classical physics, produced far-reaching changes in our ways of looking at the world. Laplace, who made significant contributions to the development of classical physics, was one of its most eloquent champions. Like Halley, he found the Newtonian explanation of comets an inspiring example of the power and value of modern science.

Now we know The sharply veering ways of comets, once A source of dread, nor longer do we quail Beneath appearances of bearded stars. Edmund Halley

The material in this essay is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation (U.S.A.) under Grant No. SOC-7809146 . I should like to express my gratitude for this support, and to thank colleagues and students, too numerous to cite individually, in Australia and America, for many valuable comments and criticisms. I am also grateful to the University of Melbourne for making possible an extended visit to Australia, where these ideas were discussed under circumstances highly conducive to constructive intellectual work.