The Trouble with Leviathan and the Air Pump

The script begins with a warm welcome to the audience at an event focusing on the historical debate surrounding 'Leviathan and the Air-Pump.' The speaker expresses gratitude to the sponsors, including the Oxford Center for Research in the Humanities (TORCH) and the Museum for the History of Science, and acknowledges the Museum of Natural History for providing the venue. The event is part of an ongoing research program on the Enlightenment and dialogues between the humanities and science. The speaker also mentions an upcoming workshop on Madame de Châtelet, a notable scientist and friend of Voltaire. The introduction of two key speakers follows: David Wootton, a historian of science from the University of York, and Michael Hunter, a recently retired professor from Birkbeck, known for his extensive work on Robert Boyle, the 'father of chemistry.'

The speaker reflects on the significance of the book 'Leviathan and the Air-Pump' and its impact on teaching and historical understanding. He recounts a conversation with a student who questioned the accuracy of the book, sparking a decade-long consideration of its validity. The speaker situates the book within the context of the Edinburgh School of relativist history of science and highlights its connection to the philosophical investigations of Ludwig Wittgenstein. He emphasizes the book's exploration of knowledge and truth as not being taken for granted and challenges the audience to reconsider their views on the book, suggesting that it may not be entirely 'right.'

This paragraph delves into the historical context of the debates surrounding Robert Boyle's air pump and his experiments to create a vacuum. It discusses the dispute between Boyle and his contemporaries, such as Hobbes and Huygens, over the validity of Boyle's vacuum experiments. The speaker critiques the book 'Leviathan and the Air-Pump' for its anglo-centric view, arguing that it overlooks the contributions of Blaise Pascal and others. The paragraph also touches on Boyle's replication of experiments and the significance of his work on pressure, leading to Boyle's Law and its implications for the development of technology and the Industrial Revolution.

The speaker continues his critique, pointing out what he perceives as myopia in the book's handling of Boyle's work and its narrow focus on disputes between Boyle and other philosophers. He argues that the book fails to acknowledge the broader acceptance of Boyle's Law and its undisputed significance. Additionally, he challenges the book's interpretation of Hobbes's views on the vacuum and authority, suggesting that the authors misrepresent Hobbes's stance and his understanding of truth and consensus. The speaker emphasizes the need to understand the historical context and the nuances of the philosophical debates of the time.

The speaker discusses the evolution of scientific language, focusing on terms such as 'fact,' 'theory,' 'hypothesis,' and 'laws of nature.' He traces the origins of these terms from their early uses to their adoption in scientific discourse, highlighting the influence of figures like Thomas Hobbes, Francis Bacon, and René Descartes. The speaker argues that the book 'Leviathan and the Air-Pump' fails to fully explore the development of this new language and its impact on Boyle's work, suggesting that the authors did not follow through on the logic of Wittgenstein's ideas about language and performance being inseparable.

This paragraph explores the influence of early modern thinkers on the development of scientific language, particularly the use of the word 'fact.' The speaker mentions Thomas Hobbes's skepticism about facts and his preference for deductions, as well as the adoption of the term by other scientists like Sakenal Digby. The paragraph also discusses the translation of Blaise Pascal's 'Provincial Letters' and its contribution to the use of 'fact' in English, suggesting that the new language of science was assembled from various sources and became widely adopted.

The speaker examines the historical shift in the meanings of 'theory' and 'hypothesis' from their origins in astronomy to their broader application in natural philosophy and experimental science. He notes that Francis Bacon was among the first to use 'theory' outside an astronomical context, and that William Gilbert's work on magnetism marked a significant development in the use of 'hypothesis.' The paragraph also touches on the introduction of 'laws of nature' by René Descartes and how these terms became integral to the language of science.

The speaker discusses the evolution of the term 'evidence' from its legal origins to its use in science and natural philosophy. He explains that 'evidence' and 'fact' were initially legal terms, with 'fact' referring to a deed or action. The speaker suggests that the movement of these terms from the courtroom to the scientific community reflects the broader cultural shift towards empirical observation and the gathering of evidence in the study of nature.

The speaker reflects on the impact of 'Leviathan and the Air-Pump' and its influence on the history of science, acknowledging its brilliance and the reconsideration it has prompted regarding knowledge claims in science. He also addresses the authors' portrayal of Robert Boyle as a political operator and the book's argument that the solution to the problem of knowledge is political. The speaker questions whether the authors have misunderstood Boyle and whether their image of him is artificial, suggesting that their view may not do justice to Boyle's true character.

The speaker presents a contrasting view of Robert Boyle, depicting him as a complex and diffident figure who struggled with religious scruples and illiteracies in his relations with the wider world. He contrasts this image with the confident political operator presented in 'Leviathan and the Air-Pump' and argues that Boyle's religious life was more complicated and stressful than often portrayed. The speaker also discusses Boyle's reluctance to take holy orders and his concerns about the influence of Hobbes's philosophy on contemporary intellectual life.

The speaker delves into Boyle's intellectual priorities, emphasizing his desire to champion the mechanical philosophy over the Aristotelian worldview. He discusses Boyle's writings on the interface between science and technology and differentiates Boyle's intellectual ambitions from those of artisans and chemists who collected particulars without analytical reflection. The speaker also touches on Boyle's responses to various attacks on his work and his efforts to have his writings translated into Latin for wider circulation.

The speaker examines the ongoing dispute between Hobbes and the Oxford mathematician John Wallis, which had begun long before Boyle's involvement and continued afterward. He suggests that this controversy, like the Boyle-Hobbes dispute, offers insights into the political implications of knowledge disputes. The speaker also discusses Boyle's appeal to matters of fact and how it served his intellectual purposes, contrasting this with his analytical ambitions in other settings. He concludes by emphasizing that Boyle was a complex figure, far from the confident political operator depicted by the authors of 'Leviathan and the Air-Pump.'