ABSTRACT

The previous chapters have focused on two major discoveries in early modem science - Newton’s discovery of the heterogeneous composition of sunlight, and Gray’s discovery of electrical conductivity. These discoveries were directly related to one another - both were the result of the initiative to transform the mode of explanation that structured philosophical learning for centuries. These discoveries indicated that the initiative was not confined to specific areas of philosophical research. Newton’s conception of experimental philosophy introduced a new regime whose scope was as wide as the collective endeavor to advance human understanding of the physical world.