Authors:
- Affords insights into the underlying model behind Newton’s sensorium concept
- Furthers understanding of both Isaac Newton and key developments in seventeenth century science
- Calls certain assumptions into question, enabling a fresh perspective on Newton and his works
Part of the book series: Archimedes (ARIM, volume 53)
Buy it now
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Other ways to access
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check for access.
Table of contents (6 chapters)
-
Front Matter
-
Part I
-
Front Matter
-
-
Part II
-
Front Matter
-
-
Part III
-
Front Matter
-
-
Part IV
-
Front Matter
-
-
Back Matter
About this book
These chapters analyze texts from Isaac Newton’s work to shed new light on scientific understanding at his time. Newton used the concept of “sensorium” in writings intended for a public audience, in relation to both humans and God, but even today there is no consensus about the meaning of his term. The literal definition of the Latin term 'sensorium', or its English equivalent 'sensory', is 'thing that feels’ but this is a theoretical construct.
The book takes readers on a process of discovery, through inquiry into both Newton’s concept and its underlying model. It begins with the human sensorium. This part of his concept is situated in the context of the aforesaid writings but also in the context of the writings of two of Newton's contemporaries, the physicians William Briggs and Thomas Willis, both of whom were at the forefront of their respective specialties of ophthalmology and neurology. Only once the human sensorium has been explored is it possible to generalize to the unobservable divine sensorium, because Newton's method of reasoning from experience requires that the second part of his concept is last in the order of knowledge. And the reason for this sequence is that his method, the short-hand term for which is 'analogy of nature', proceeds from that which has been observed to be universally true to that which is beyond the limits of observation. Consequently, generalization passes insensibly into reasoning by analogy.
Readers will see how certain widespread assumptions can be called into question, such as that Newton was a theological voluntarist for whom the will is superior to the intellect, or that, for Newton, not only the world or universe but also God occupies the whole extent of infinite space. The insights afforded through this book will appeal to scholars of the philosophy of science, human physiology, philosophy of mind and epistemology, among others.
Keywords
- Newton's sensorium concept, human and divine
- Physiological optics and optical processes
- Physiology of vision and visual processes
- Functional anatomy of the eye
- Visual processes and sensory-motor function
- Dual soul concept
- Method of physiological explanation
- Functional anatomy of the human sensorium
- William Briggs
- Thomas Willis
- Spectator/spectacle doctrine
- Theism
- Agent-causation concept
- Arguments from design
- Space concept
- Functional anatomy of the divine sensorium
Authors and Affiliations
-
Northbridge, Australia
Jamie C. Kassler
About the author
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Newton’s Sensorium: Anatomy of a Concept
Authors: Jamie C. Kassler
Series Title: Archimedes
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-72053-1
Publisher: Springer Cham
eBook Packages: Religion and Philosophy, Philosophy and Religion (R0)
Copyright Information: Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2018
Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-319-72052-4Published: 24 May 2018
Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-10152-7Published: 15 January 2019
eBook ISBN: 978-3-319-72053-1Published: 08 May 2018
Series ISSN: 1385-0180
Series E-ISSN: 2215-0064
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XXV, 190
Number of Illustrations: 6 b/w illustrations
Topics: Philosophy of Science, Human Physiology, Philosophy of Mind, Epistemology