Research Catalog
Theories of light, from Descartes to Newton / A.I. Sabra.
- Title
- Theories of light, from Descartes to Newton / A.I. Sabra.
- Author
- Sabra, A. I.
- Publication
- Cambridge ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 1981.
Items in the Library & Off-site
Filter by
1 Item
| Status | Format | Access | Call Number | Item Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Text | Request in advance | QC401 .S3 1981 | Off-site |
Details
- Description
- 365 p. : ill.; 24 cm.
- Subjects
- Genre/Form
- History
- History.
- Note
- Includes index.
- Bibliography (note)
- Bibliography: p. 343-355.
- Processing Action (note)
- committed to retain
- Contents
- Descartes' theory of explanation and the foundations of his theory of light -- Descartes' doctrine of the instantaneous propagation of light and his explanation of the rainbow and of colours -- Descartes' explanation of reflection. Fermat's objections -- Descartes' explanation of refraction. Fermat's 'refutations' -- Fermat's principle of least time -- Huygens' Cartesianism and his theory of conjectural explanation -- Two precursors of Huygens' wave theory: Hooke and Pardies -- Huygens' wave theory -- Newton's theory of light and colours, 1672 -- Three critics of Newton's theory: Hooke, Pardies, Huygens -- Newton's dogmatism and the representation of white light -- The two levels of explanation: Newton's theory of refraction -- The two levels of explanation: Newton's theory of the colours of thin plates.
- ISBN
- 0521240948
- 0521284368 (pbk.)
- LCCN
- ^^^81006108^
- OCLC
- 7464589
- Owning Institutions
- Harvard Library