The Metaphysical Foundations of Modern Physical Science

386 Pages·1923·16.045 MB·English

by  Edward Arthur Burtt

International Library of Psychology
Philosophy and scientific ^"^thod
The Metaphysical Foundations of
Modern Physical Science
International Library of Psychology,
Philosophy and Scientific Method
GENERAL EDITOR C.K.OGDEN,M.A.
(MagdaleneCollege,Cambridge)
TPhhieloMsiospuhsiecaolfSMtiunddies . byG.bvE.KMaoroirne,StLeiptth.eDn.
TTCSMPPcorehssindayyeeifcccnclthMhtiiaoeoinctlfaletouios,cgsgauiMynrMLcadeeoaagmgtlnDiiehdcrTcnooeytadP-panoPeomldhfsiitRlEieomclssoiotgpiihooinncus. bbbbyvyy.WWWC....bGvHHH.b...WyJ.RRRuL...n.bWgvhRRRW,iiiAaivvv.Mtteee.DterrrD.gsssl.e,,,y,RniFFFsSLt...tmLcRRRei.h...iDtiSSS.nhe...
TTTTTTTCCSTTTSIPcephhnhhhhhhhhhsiealdayeeeeeeeeeecniercnucvNGMNMpPaPPPhtlieeaearsachhsoiad,niifytttaytoltuitllcehcnuuowLiacooahrhyirgrtoolssloonyTeenhvaaooillgPhsenoppntoooosoofhhddyoff(ggyfauyyPfyycnRgrtLICotheedoMohnhflahoofolffteetauffeaiLAleaicgM'gopoUalReMnrhAuigengleviitbMssoicsiyaonnyeuuiocgsydgIsnsrceJoafsinannMcccc'..i.yctoaenseobltgii'EPpscr.siotsedmiing)y C K Ogd.beynftbJby.ya'yC..nbb.EHdyyLD.ubb..WybgbbybIbb.yv.HyyyeBALbyJya..nyr.lTAJCRnPio.f..W.C.KoTaoGr.V..ldhEH.dSeRTaeG.e.u.R,iidi,rKKrriRcshPHLooeLAsgFehciieuHfh.gedtntvahniRlotfluoloaerngr..mokebrennsdeecSDearapyreozesrr..
MPeritnacpihpylseiscoaflLFiotuenrdaartyioCnrsitoicfiSscmience by E.bv'A.I.BAu.rttR,ichPahr.dDs.
PCPPPPsorhsslyyoyyocsbccuhilhhrqoeeo-ulmlBeosolggaioyy.nfnddooPfnfeCe.TrEhsismasmoorenta.aiclot.inet.ry:. <yhoJn.bobyuTyrE.rMo.MnfasMCcto.oCrlKbul6tyrrivoendEMntsy..,s,PSRcrPthoMihumh.n.reDDdctr..ee
IN PREPARATION
TTTTTTTTSTTSLASMTCMPDCERPIPPPPETthclarhuhhnsahheeohhhhsomsehdohaaioeHttppnyrvneeyoeyueeleeeeedottnpoeihrvscecteccgooeuiocegrsTeeAPeoLHPPPPhrhialhurusrg'irestrnmrnshhhisonoaotootarysaphnatisaoasaiisyyleiolinlpwgl-nttmiilrlilTltctcocoooroomeTseHdiiocayaiyoooiohhfghnsgmgrehaavtlnastsnnscroyaoeaoyayenyVnieorMiloyoosysdlfllolotMvaifdmefsoppoaoAoornerBelSfdoFofhIfhPncfPEoggitoPyiutyofeiSynnysMfthdtyyehfsPoMerehmHscayyiyihsoMeryluooClabeoavoEMosocinfiaPofoscfihnalofadfiontcahBmdthfgihniirlgKfctaihroLteicyMgtoDnMioaeitElhnalntrla.ayiepyunaPflineciooiooealswaseSTtnvgonEasgtlwrgeoPrithehdUnGcloyhnoclcchhnesTopieooiePgaeeoecomhsnnsehespy.dl.onrMteimioiootongoisEryimcupuigseemxsisnlogscyTpecdenhihrsn.stoeeausossriyon bbyybbbByyyWbbbbebbyymyWbFyyGbryb.y...yytBPGH.RBG.rMb.EHb....Bbbaby.EbblB.ybyySbry...MyynlyaMCHyaHoaGERdi.LarrGJE.ral.PwFobEAdbWil.oivbb...grbi.Ry.bnytabin.ywooaHRytaynuGb,ybnvnskSina.raMRSrsMoSCnyLoJy.gbooJJvsi.raFam.r.si.whtr.FewneMa.hTlidedd.sbadddGrHsHCr.lmhatilGHDygykCr.og.FeDskAheaWhaennUl.eoi,Pilo,n..,lJier,El,k,sroe,,oSn.ae,r,o.,R,-SbP,toxaFLdugsnFFrFeCWpDii.nPSDmtkD..ahDDlwD..fevhMMrteMRocha.IRR..ea.RtuFnahaoine..o.z.r..ptSS..SS.onnolograliraSscDDtDeoDicicSSccStdt.nnxletnol.zd.te...rn.r...s...
The Metaphysical Foundations of
Modern Physical Science
A HISTORICAL AND CRITICAL ESSAY
By
EDWIN ARTHUP BURTT, S.T.M., Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorofPhilosophy ., \e Universityof Chicago
LONDON
KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRUBNER & CO., LTD.
NEW YORK HARCOURT, BRACE & COMPANY, INC.
:
1925
B17R46
XO,S"
PrintedinGreatBritainby
Fox,Jones&Co.,KempHallPress,HighStreet,Oxford,England.
PREFACE
The general scope of the problem attacked in this
book is sufficiently indicated in the introductory
chapter. Suffice it to add here merely that my atten-
tion was directed to its profound importance in
consequence of assuming responsibility for an ad-
vanced course in the history of British philosophy at
Columbia University. An intensive study of the
classic English thinkers early taught me that no one
could hope to appreciate the motives underlying their
work till he had mastered the philosophy of the one
Englishman whose authority and influence in modern
times has rivalled that of Aristotle over the late
medieval epoch Sir Isaac Newton.
I wish to express my special indebtedness to Dean
F.J. E.Woodbridge,oftheDepartmentofPhilosophy,
Columbia University, for the stimulus ofhis teaching
andforhisowncriticalinterestinNewton'sphilosophy;
to Prof. Morris R. Cohen, of the College of the
City of New York, an authority in this field ; to Dr
J. H. Randall, Jr, whose extensive researches in the
same field have made his criticisms most helpful ;
and finally to my wife, without whose faithful com-
panionship and co-operation the task would have been
quite impossible offulfilment.
A word about the quotations in the following
chapters. Since I have dealt in large part with
hitherto untranslated source material, I must accept
responsibility for the translations of : Copernicus
(except for the Letter to Pope Paul III, where I have
used Miss Dorothy Stimson's translation in her
Gradual Acceptance of the Copemican Theory oj the
PREFACE
vi
Universe) ; Kepler ; Galileo (except his Dialogues
Concerning the Two Great Systems of the World and
Dialogues and Mathematical Demonstrations Concerning
Two New Sciences, where I have used the translations
noted) ; Descartes, as regards all the quotations taken
from the Cousin edition of his works More's
;
Enchiridion Metaphysicum ; Barrow ; and Newton, as
regards the quotations from Horsley's edition of his
works, Vol. IV, pp. 31420. The remaining quota-
tions are from translations already in the field.
I wish to express hearty thanks to my friend and
colleague, Professor T. V. Smith, of the University
of Chicago, who has shared with me the labour of
reading the proofs.
E.A.B.
University of Chicago.