Project

From natural philosophy to science: Euler's inquiry of nature viewed through his optics

Code
3F027311
Duration
01 October 2011 → 30 September 2015
Funding
Regional and community funding: Special Research Fund, Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO)
Research disciplines
  • Natural sciences
    • History and foundations
  • Humanities and the arts
    • Theory and methodology of philosophy
    • Philosophy
    • Other philosophy, ethics and religious studies not elsewhere classified
Keywords
eighteenth century science natural philosophy eighteenth century philosophy history of optics mathematisation history of philosophy Newtonianism Leonhard Euler Philosophy
 
Project description

This project investigates the relationship between natural philosophy and philosophical developments of scientific criteria in the optics of Leonhard Euler (1707-1783). The central questions are: (i) Did Euler's account of optics, as well as his mathematisation of nature, lead to changes in the role of natural philosophy? (ii) Was the modern seperation of natural philosophy and science a consequence of this?