Instrumental Traditions and Theories of Light: The Uses of Instruments in the Optical Revolution [Hardcover]

An analysis of the optical revolution in the context of early 19th century Britain. Far from merely involving the replacement of one optical theory by another, the revolution also involved substantial changes in instruments and the practices that surrounded them. People's judgements about classification, explanation and evaluation were affected by the way they used such optical instruments as spectroscopes, telescopes, polarisers, photometers, gratings, prisms and apertures. There were two instrumental traditions in this historical period, each of which nurtured a body of practice that exemplified how optical instruments should be operated, and especially how the eye should be used. These traditions functioned just like paradigms, shaping perspectives and even world views.
Readership: Scholars and graduate students in the history of science, history of instrument, philosophy of science and science studies. Can also be used as a textbook in graduate courses on 19th century physics.1. Comparisons of Explanatory Power.- 1. Introducing the wave theory to Britain.- 2. Comparing the explanatory powers.- 3. The reflection of a particle theorist.- 4. Improving the explanatory power of the particle theory.- 5. The problem of selective absorption.- 2. Explanatory Power and Classification.- 1. The Newtonian taxonomic systems.- 2. Herschels synthetic attempt.- 3. Lloyds dichotomous design.- 3. Classification and the Use of Instruments.- 1. Brewsters plate polarizers and crystal analyzers.- 2. Fresnels innovative uses of crystal analyzers.- 3. Herschels understanding of partial polarization.- 4. Lloyd and conical polarization.- 4. The Dispute over Dispersion.- 1. Powells formulas of dispersion.- 2. Fraunhofers theodolites and spectral lines.- 3. Powells hollow prisms and spectral lines.- 4. Brewsters telescope and spectral lines.- 5. The difficulties of making gratings.- 6. The impasse in the debate.- 5. The Discovery of tlã%