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Full Description
This book reimagines the history of knowledge in 18th-century Britain by exploring how ideas were transmitted and diffused across generations and disciplines. Drawing on innovative digital tools, it uncovers collective patterns in the language of science, philosophy, and commerce, revealing how concepts such as 'system', 'sensibility', and 'volition' were shaped and shared by communities rather than individuals. The study examines the commodification of knowledge, tracing its connections with the rise of capitalism and the emergence of knowledge as a storeable, transferable asset. By distinguishing between the optimistic project of transmission to posterity and the anxieties surrounding the diffusion of knowledge, the book illuminates the political, social, and economic stakes of Enlightenment thought. Blending literary analysis, intellectual history, and digital humanities, it offers new perspectives for scholars and general readers on how knowledge structures persist and evolve, and why their movement matters for modernity.
Contents
Introduction: New Perspectives on 18th C Knowledge Transmission in 18th C Britain
Chapter One: Transmission to Posterity and, Detailing the Method
Chapter Two: 'System': From the Stars to the Operating Theatre
Chapter Three: Transmission via Lexical Hinge: 'Irritability', 'sensibility' and Laurence Sterne
Chapter Four: John Locke and the Collective Concept of volition
Chapter Five: Money, Markets, Circulation and Computation
Conclusion: Knowledge Transmission and the Extended Mind
Index
