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基本説明
Translated by Peter Mason.
Full Description
Traditionally, Dutch scientific culture of the Golden Age is regarded as rational, pragmatic, and utilitarian. The role of Christiaan Huygens, Johannes Swammerdam and Antoni van Leeuwenhoek in the so called Scientific Revolution was recognised long ago, as was the fact that the revolutionary philosophy of René Descartes made its first impact in the Netherlands.
This book challenges the traditional picture. First, it shows how nature was regarded as a second book of God, next to the Bible. For many, contemplating, investigating, representing and collecting natural objects was a religious activity. Secondly, this book demonstrates that the deconstruction of the old view of nature was partly caused by the pioneering exegetical research conducted in the Dutch Republic, more specifically, the emergence of radical biblical criticism.
Contents
Preface
Abbreviations
List of Illustrations
1. Introduction
2. The Interpretation of the Book of Nature down to around 1660
2.1.The Strength of Tradition
2.2 Two Books up for Discussion
3. Comets: The Debates on the 'Wonders in the Heavens'
3.1. Introduction
3.2. Dutch views on Comets down to around 1660
3.3. From Ominous to Glorious Signs: the Comet of 1664
3.4. Conceptions of Comets around 1700
3.5. Concluding Remarks
4. Insects: 'The Wonders of God in the Humblest Creatures'
4.1. Introduction.
4.2. The Study of Insects in the Dutch Republic down to ca. 1660
4.3. Swammerdam and the Transformation of the Book of Nature
4.4. The Insect Bug around 1700
4.5. Concluding Remarks
5. Collections of Curiosities: 'A Book in which God has gloriously described Himself'
5.1. Introduction
5.2. Collections of Curiosities in the Netherlands down to ca. 1660
5.3. From Collection of Curiosities to Cabinet of Naturalia
5.4. Dutch Collections around 1700
5.5. Concluding Remarks
6. Books of Wonders: from Rarity to Regularity
6.1. Introduction
6.2. Books of Wonders in the Dutch Republic down to around 1660
6.3. Johannes de Mey: Between Exegesis and Experiment
6.4. Books of Wonders around 1700
6.5. Concluding Remarks
7. The Book of Nature: from Axiom to Metaphor
Bibliography
Index of Names
