Connection to Science
The Age of Reason, or simply known as the Enlightenment time period, questioned traditional authority and embraced the notion that humanity could be improved through rational change. The Enlightenment produced numerous books, essays, inventions, and scientific discoveries. Joseph Priestley arguably had the biggest impact on the Age of Enlightenment in his field of science that would eventually help pave the path that ultimately gave way to the nineteenth century
Science was very important during the Age of Enlightenment due to the fact it was able to shed light onto the ways of scientific thinking and helped the wold better understand how the scientific processes worked. Unitl the Age of Enlightenment, only a select few scientists and mathematicians understood science and the way that if affected the world (Schofield, Robert). The Enlightenment allowed people to look at situations, both scientific and philosophical, in a more rational way.
Known as one of the greatest scientist of the Age of Enlightenment, Joseph Priestley paved the path for knowledge of science during the eighteenth century. Priestley believed that each experiment performed should be given its utmost attention, and that each experiment should be documented. According to the Enlightenment Reader, Joseph Priestley once stated in his essay that,"Let histories be written of all that has been done in every particular branch ofnscience, and let the whole be seen at one view. And when once the entire progress, and present state of every science shall be fully and fairly exhibited, I doubt not but we shall see a new and capital era commence in the history of all sciences"(Various, pg70).
Documenting experiments was very important to Priestley, and his quote above confirms the importance. He clearly believed that whoever followed up his studies after his death would have information to help improve the field of science. Even with science not being his main field of study, Priestly left a huge imprint on the field of science that would greatly help improve the knowledge of the Scientific Method during the Age of Enlightenment, and it all started with him simply begining the trend of documenting experiments.
Priestley was always pushing the limits with his experiments looking for the next step to help imporve the sciences, and always believed, "Science accelerated the progress of knowledge"(Crain, 1962) Priestley knew science was very important to improving society, which is why he believed it was beyond important to document every expirement. Due to his research Priestley discovered one gas that would change the medical field dramatically for those that would study after him. The discoevery of Oxygen was what Priestley was greatly known for during his time of experimenting with science (Crain, 1962). And yet, one cannot deny that Preistley's discoveries and research methods provided the foundation for all the scientist that came after him.
Science was very important during the Age of Enlightenment due to the fact it was able to shed light onto the ways of scientific thinking and helped the wold better understand how the scientific processes worked. Unitl the Age of Enlightenment, only a select few scientists and mathematicians understood science and the way that if affected the world (Schofield, Robert). The Enlightenment allowed people to look at situations, both scientific and philosophical, in a more rational way.
Known as one of the greatest scientist of the Age of Enlightenment, Joseph Priestley paved the path for knowledge of science during the eighteenth century. Priestley believed that each experiment performed should be given its utmost attention, and that each experiment should be documented. According to the Enlightenment Reader, Joseph Priestley once stated in his essay that,"Let histories be written of all that has been done in every particular branch ofnscience, and let the whole be seen at one view. And when once the entire progress, and present state of every science shall be fully and fairly exhibited, I doubt not but we shall see a new and capital era commence in the history of all sciences"(Various, pg70).
Documenting experiments was very important to Priestley, and his quote above confirms the importance. He clearly believed that whoever followed up his studies after his death would have information to help improve the field of science. Even with science not being his main field of study, Priestly left a huge imprint on the field of science that would greatly help improve the knowledge of the Scientific Method during the Age of Enlightenment, and it all started with him simply begining the trend of documenting experiments.
Priestley was always pushing the limits with his experiments looking for the next step to help imporve the sciences, and always believed, "Science accelerated the progress of knowledge"(Crain, 1962) Priestley knew science was very important to improving society, which is why he believed it was beyond important to document every expirement. Due to his research Priestley discovered one gas that would change the medical field dramatically for those that would study after him. The discoevery of Oxygen was what Priestley was greatly known for during his time of experimenting with science (Crain, 1962). And yet, one cannot deny that Preistley's discoveries and research methods provided the foundation for all the scientist that came after him.
Priestley's Scientific Discoveries
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