Comparisons of Explanatory Power

Abstract

After Newton’s endorsement in the late seventeenth century, the particle theory of light dominated the field of optics in Britain for more than a hundred years. Throughout the eighteenth century, optical researches in Britain were conducted within the particle framework, and considerable progress was made during this period (Steffens 1977; Cantor 1983; Pav 1964). Partially because of Newton’s support, and partially because of its explanatory successes, the dominance of the particle theory in Britain lasted well into the first quarter of the nineteenth century. But this dominance of the particle theory became shaky when John Herschel in 1827 circulated in the optical community an essay that offered a systematic review of the wave theory of light and argued for its superiority. In this way, the showdown between the particle theory and the wave theory began.