Seyed Masoud Hosseini · Overview · Study log · Weekly summaries · Ideas · Search · Transcript · RSS feed

General Philosophy · Lecture 7 of 33 · 6:21

2.3 Robert Boyle's Corpuscularian Theory

2.3 Robert Boyle's Corpuscularian Theory on YouTube

Study guide

What this lecture covers

This lecture introduces Robert Boyle, alongside Isaac Newton one of the two greatest 17th-century British scientists, and his corpuscularian theory of matter. It contrasts Boyle's approach with Descartes's, then moves to Johannes Kepler's discovery that planets orbit in ellipses rather than circles, setting up the ground for Newton.

Key ideas

  • Corpuscularianism: Boyle explained chemical properties as arising from tiny particles of matter ('corpuscles') differing in shape, arrangement and texture; he avoided the word 'atom' because of its association with ancient atheistic philosophy.
  • Impenetrability, not pure extension: unlike Descartes, Boyle held that matter's key property is impenetrability, and he allowed empty space between corpuscles, making his theory more coherent than Descartes's plenum.
  • Primary and secondary qualities: Boyle distinguished fundamental properties like extension, size, shape and motion from secondary qualities like color, smell and taste, explaining the latter through the former, a distinction later made famous by John Locke.
  • Kepler's ellipses: using Tycho Brahe's precise planetary observations, Kepler showed that planets move in ellipses with the Sun at one focus, not in circles or circles-on-circles, producing dramatically more accurate predictive tables.

Before you watch

  • Watch lectures 1.4 and 2.2 for Descartes's theory of matter as extension, which Boyle's theory improves on.

Check your understanding

  1. Why did Boyle avoid the word 'atom' even though his corpuscularian theory resembles atomism?
  2. How does Boyle's allowance of empty space make his theory more coherent than Descartes's?
  3. What did Kepler discover about planetary orbits, and how accurate were his resulting predictions compared to earlier methods?

Vocabulary

corpuscularianism (noun)
The theory that matter is made of tiny particles whose shape and arrangement explain physical properties.
Boyle's corpuscularianism explained chemistry through tiny particles.
corpuscle (noun)
A tiny particle of matter, similar to an early idea of an atom.
Boyle explained chemical properties using arrangements of corpuscles.
atom (noun)
A very small basic unit of matter.
Boyle avoided the word atom because of its old associations.
texture (noun)
The particular arrangement or structure of small parts making up a material.
Corpuscles differ in shape, arrangement and texture.
coherent (adjective)
Logically consistent and making sense as a whole.
Boyle's theory was more coherent than Descartes's plenum.
empty space (phrase)
A region containing no matter at all, also called a vacuum.
Boyle allowed empty space between corpuscles.
focus (of an ellipse) (noun)
One of two special fixed points that define the shape of an ellipse.
The Sun sits at one focus of a planet's elliptical orbit.
ellipse (noun)
An oval-shaped curve, like a stretched circle.
Kepler showed planets move in ellipses, not circles.
predictive table (phrase)
A set of calculated values used to forecast future events, like planetary positions.
Kepler's model produced far more accurate predictive tables.
precise (adjective)
Exact and accurate in detail.
Tycho Brahe made precise planetary observations.
chemical property (noun)
A characteristic of a substance related to how it reacts or combines with others.
Corpuscularianism explains chemical properties through particle shape.
association (with an idea) (noun)
A mental link connecting one idea or word to another.
Boyle avoided 'atom' because of its association with atheism.
fundamental (property) (adjective)
Basic and essential, forming the foundation of something else.
Boyle distinguished fundamental properties from secondary ones.
arrangement (noun)
The way parts are organized or positioned relative to each other.
Different arrangements of corpuscles produce different substances.
setting up (the ground) (phrase)
Preparing the way for something that comes later.
Kepler's discovery sets up the ground for Newton.
greatest (scientist) (adjective)
Ranked as the best or most important.
Boyle is considered one of the greatest 17th-century scientists.
dramatically (adverb)
In a very noticeable or impressive way.
Kepler's tables were dramatically more accurate.
improve on (phrasal verb)
To make something better than an earlier version.
Boyle's theory improves on Descartes's account of matter.
underlying (structure) (adjective)
Forming the basic foundation beneath what is visible or obvious.
Corpuscles form the underlying structure of matter.
contrast (with) (verb)
To show the difference between two things by comparing them.
The lecture contrasts Boyle's approach with Descartes's.

Chapters

From the YouTube description

A series of lectures delivered by Peter Millican to first-year philosophy students at the University of Oxford. The lectures comprise the 8-week General Philosophy course and were delivered in late 2009.

Slides for all his lectures can be found here:
http://podcasts.ox.ac.uk/people/peter-millican

Learn more about Oxford:
http://www.ox.ac.uk

← 2.2 Introduction to Thomas Hobbes · 2.4 Isaac Newton and Instrumentalism →