Author
Robert Boyle
1627-1691
Robert Boyle (1627-1691) is a public-domain author available on Rivro. Read free books, explore subjects, and discover related classics.
WikipediaBooks by Robert Boyle
The Sceptical Chymist or Chymico-Physical Doubts & Paradoxes, Touching the Spagyrist's Principles Commonly call'd Hypostatical; As they are wont to be Propos'd and Defended by the Generality of Alchymists. Whereunto is præmis'd Part of another Discourse relating to the same Subject.
"The Sceptical Chymist" by Robert Boyle is a scientific work published in 1661. Written as a dialogue between five characters in a garden, this groundbreaking book challenges ancient theories about matter's composition. Boyle proposes that matter consists of moving corpuscles and clusters, while rejecting both Aristotle's four elements and Paracelsus' three principles. Instead, he defines elements as "perfectly unmingled bodies," laying foundations that would help establish modern chemistry. The work's influence gradually displaced centuries-old doctrines about the fundamental nature of matter.
Experiments and Considerations Touching Colours (1664)
"Experiments and Considerations Touching Colours" by Robert Boyle is a scientific publication written during the mid-17th century. The work aims to explore the nature, perception, and properties of colors, presenting a collection of observations and experiments primarily directed at a friend named Pyrophilus. Boyle seeks to provide a historical context to the concept of color, emphasizing the need for experimentation and inquiry rather than rigid speculation. The opening of the treatise introduces Boyle's intent to present a structured yet informal account of his various experiments and considerations regarding colors. He reflects on the challenges and complexities of understanding colors and hints at the importance of both empirical observation and theoretical frameworks in this pursuit. Boyle also discusses the significance of experimenting with colors, providing examples such as the tempering of steel and the psychological effects of colors on perception, while preparing readers for the detailed explorations that will follow in the ensuing chapters.