Robert Boyle, the favorite son of the wealthiest man in England and Ireland, could have lived a life of luxury. Instead he committed himself to advancing scientific knowledge and to helping lay the foundation of modern chemistry. Boyle used his wealth to help found the Royal Society, the first state chartered scientific organization, and to build an elaborate laboratory in which he performed dozens of experiments in chemistry and physics. Robert Boyle lived during an exciting time of revolution and scientific advancement, and his life and work are vividly portrayed for a new generation of young readers in Skeptical Chemist: The Story of Robert Boyle. Book jacket.

This book offers a comprehensive study of the thought of Robert Boyle in the context of his time. Boyle was a pioneer of experimental physics and founder of modern chemistry. Hooykaas provides a historical study of the relations between science and Christian faith in Boyle focusing on his views of religion, revelation, reason and experience. Boyle's conception of science is compared with those of Descartes, Gassendi, Newton, Bacon and Pascal. It is a close textual study of the collected works of Boyle using the edition of 1772. It corrects criticism that Hooykaas abused history of science to engage in Christian apologetics. It is intended for historians of science, philosophers of science, students of religion and science relations, Boyle scholars, and historians of chemistry. Contents: Foreword; Introduction; Chapter I: Boyle's Life and Times; Chapter II: Science; Chapter III: Religion and the Study of Nature; Chapter IV: Special Revelation; Index of Names. Co-published with The Pascal Center for Advanced Studies in Faith and Science.

Robert Boyle was one of history�s most significant scientists. His name can be linked to some of the earliest breakthroughs in chemistry. Perhaps his most famous contribution to science is Boyle�s law, which states that if the volume of a gas is decreased, the pressure increases proportionally. He was also one of the first scientists to conduct systemized experiments in order to prove a theory or idea. In this book, readers can learn about these and many more of Boyle�s groundbreaking discoveries. A compelling main text, informative sidebars, and a detailed timeline help students contextualize Boyle�s life and his impact on history.

Robert Boyle, well known in scientific circles, has still not received the credit he deserves in philosophy. A leader in experimental philosophy, his interests range from morality and philosophy of religion to epistemology and the philosophy of science. The Bloomsbury Companion to Robert Boyle brings together the latest work on the lesser known aspects of Boyle's philosophy, alongside some of his best known views, and surveys the full range of his philosophy for the first time. Situating Boyle within the philosophical and scientific traditions and introducing his zeal for experiment and commitment to the improvement of humanity, chapters reveal how crucial chemistry and alchemy are to his philosophy of science. They take up the metaphysical and ontological consequences of his philosophy and discuss his influence in the 17th and 18th centuries. Highlighting the importance of his moral theory and theological commitments for his philosophy of science, metaphysics and epistemology, chapters show how they motivate Boyle's philosophical positions and practices. For students or researchers looking to better understand Boyle's contribution to philosophy The Bloomsbury Companion to Robert Boyle is a comprehensive and invaluable guide. By taking into account the last thirty years of scholarship and pointing towards the next thirty years it presents the best of the current research on Boyle's philosophy and significance today.

A re-evaluation of Boyle in the light of new evidence of his tortured religious life and his difficult relations with his contemporaries.