Instruments and the Imagination
Seiten
1999
Princeton University Press (Verlag)
978-0-691-00549-2 (ISBN)
Princeton University Press (Verlag)
978-0-691-00549-2 (ISBN)
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In this book, the authors investigate an array of instruments from the 17th to the 19th century that seem at first to be marginal to science. By looking at these, they show that "scientific instruments" first made their appearance as devices used to evoke wonder in the beholder.
In this book, the authors investigate an array of instruments from the 17th to the 19th century that seem at first to be marginal to science - magnetic clocks that were said to operate by the movements of sunflower seeds, ocular harpsichords (machines that played different coloured lights in harmonious mixtures), Aeolian harps (a form of wind chime), and other instruments of "natural magic" designed to produce wonderous effects. By looking at these, and the first recording instruments, the stereoscope and speaking machines, they show that "scientific instruments" first made their appearance as devices used to evoke wonder in the beholder, as in works of magic and the theatre. The authors also demonstrate that these instruments, even though they were often tricks, were seen by their inventors as more than trickery. In the view of Athanasius Kircher, for instance, the sunflower clock was not merely a hoax, but an effort to demonstrate, however fraudulently, his truly held belief that the ability of a flower to follow the sun was due to the same cosmic magnetic influence as that which moved the planets and caused the rotation of the earth. The mechanical marvels revealed in this work
In this book, the authors investigate an array of instruments from the 17th to the 19th century that seem at first to be marginal to science - magnetic clocks that were said to operate by the movements of sunflower seeds, ocular harpsichords (machines that played different coloured lights in harmonious mixtures), Aeolian harps (a form of wind chime), and other instruments of "natural magic" designed to produce wonderous effects. By looking at these, and the first recording instruments, the stereoscope and speaking machines, they show that "scientific instruments" first made their appearance as devices used to evoke wonder in the beholder, as in works of magic and the theatre. The authors also demonstrate that these instruments, even though they were often tricks, were seen by their inventors as more than trickery. In the view of Athanasius Kircher, for instance, the sunflower clock was not merely a hoax, but an effort to demonstrate, however fraudulently, his truly held belief that the ability of a flower to follow the sun was due to the same cosmic magnetic influence as that which moved the planets and caused the rotation of the earth. The mechanical marvels revealed in this work
List of Illustrations Ch. 2 Athanasius Kircher's Sunflower Clock Ch. 3 The Magic Lantern and the Art of Demonstration Ch. 4 The Ocular Harpsichord of Louis-Bertrand Castel; or, The Instrument That Wasn't Ch. 5 The Aeolian Harp and the Romantic Quest of Nature Ch. 6 Science since Babel: Graphs, Automatic Recording Devices, and the Universal Language of Instruments Ch. 7 The Giant Eyes of Science: The Stereoscope and Photographic Depiction in the Nineteenth Century Ch. 8 Vox Mechanica: The History of Speaking Machines Ch. 9 Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index
| Reihe/Serie | Princeton Legacy Library |
|---|---|
| Zusatzinfo | 90 halftones |
| Verlagsort | New Jersey |
| Sprache | englisch |
| Maße | 197 x 254 mm |
| Gewicht | 510 g |
| Themenwelt | Naturwissenschaften |
| Technik | |
| ISBN-10 | 0-691-00549-4 / 0691005494 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-0-691-00549-2 / 9780691005492 |
| Zustand | Neuware |
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