STS Seminar Series 2011-12
Department of Science and Technology Studies
University College London
All seminars take place at 5.00pm
Venue: Galton Lecture Theatre, 1-19 Torrington Place
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/locations/ucl-maps
Monday 24 October
Andrew Janiak
(Duke University)
"Isaac Newton's conception of absolute space: a new hypothesis."
Isaac Newton's distinction in /Principia mathematica/ between what he
calls the absolute and the relative conceptions of space, time and
motion is well known today and was highly influential historically. In
part, Newton presented the distinction in order to succeed where
Descartes's physics had failed, namely in providing a conception of
space and time that coheres with the facts about motion expressed by the
laws of nature. But as it turns out, Newton actually began to develop
his conception of absolute space in 1680-81 while attempting to
articulate a view of space and of motion that could accommodate
theological and religious texts. The drafts of the /Principia/ from
1684-85 show signs of this same concern, as does an otherwise puzzling
statement in the /Principia/ itself. The new hypothesis is that Newton's
conception of space was actually developed to deal with theological and
religious issues, and then, remarkably, emerged later as precisely the
view that Newton would require for his physics.
Forthcoming seminars:
Monday 14 November
Matt Spencer
(Goldsmiths Centre for Cultural Studies, University of London)
Representation, Simulation and the Epistemic Thing
Monday 28 November
Thomas Rose
(Fachhochschule Muenster, Germany/ STS Honorary Associate)
The Attitude of Trade Unions towards Science
Monday 12 December
Bill MacLehose
(STS, UCL)
The Sliding Scale of Sleep in The Middle Ages
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Dr. Chiara Ambrosio
Teaching Fellow in Philosophy of Science
Department of Science and Technology Studies
University College London
Gower Street
London WC1E 6BT
Tel. (+44) 02076790166
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/staff/ambrosio
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/basc/
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