Philosophical Mechanics in the Age of Reason

Cover
Half-Title
Title
Copyright
Dedication
Contents
Preface
1. A golden era
	1.1 Introduction
	1.2 The problem of bodies
	1.3 Philosophical mechanics
	1.4 Constructive and principle approaches
	1.5 The unity of physical theory
	1.6 Collisions and constraints: PCOL and PCON
	1.7 Methods
	1.8 Audience
	1.9 Overview
	1.10 Conclusions
2. Malebranche and the Cartesian foundations of natural philosophy
	2.1 Introduction
	2.2 Correcting Descartes: Malebranche’s early theory of collisions
	2.3 Leibniz’s objections to Malebranche’s early collision theory
	2.4 Malebranche’s mature theory of collisions
	2.5 After Malebranche: hard bodies in the Paris Academy prize competition of 1724 and beyond
	2.6 After Malebranche: elastic rebound and the Paris Academy prize competition of 1726
	2.7 Open questions, hidden problems
	2.8 Conclusions
3. Beyond Newton and Leibniz: Bodies in collision
	3.1 Introduction
	3.2 Newtonian collisions
	3.3 Leibniz on collisions
	3.4 Leibnizian collisions in Hermann and Wolff
	3.5 The problem of collisions
4. The Problem of Bodies
	4.1 Introduction
	4.2 The scope and remit of physics
	4.3 The problem of bodies: nature and action
	4.4 The problem of bodies: evidence and principle
	4.5 The methods of Newtonian physics
	4.6 Substance and causation
	4.7 The goal: a philosophical mechanics
5. Body and force in the physics of collisions: Du Châtelet and Euler
	5.1 Introduction
	5.2 Nature: extension as a property of bodies
	5.3 Action
	5.4 Du Châtelet and Action
	5.5 Euler and Action
	5.6 Conclusions
6. Searching for a new physics: Kant and Boscovich
	6.1 Introduction
	6.2 The physics of bodies in Kant and Boscovich
	6.3 Kant’s philosophical mechanics
	6.4 Boscovich’s philosophical mechanics
	6.5 Conclusions
7. Shifting sands in philosophical mechanics
	7.1 Introduction
	7.2 Methodology
	7.3 Elusive mass
	7.4 Contact action
	7.5 A general theory of bodies in motion
	7.6 Shifting sands
	7.7 From rational to philosophical mechanics
	7.8 Rational mechanics ascendant
	7.9 Conclusions
8. Early work in the rational mechanics of constrained motion
	8.1 Introduction
	8.2 Personnel and work sites
	8.3 New territory: oscillating systems
	8.4 The compound pendulum
	8.5 From special problems to general principles
	8.6 Implications for philosophical mechanics
	8.7 Conclusions
9. Constructive and principle approaches in d’Almbert’s Treatise
	9.1 Introduction
	9.2 Constructive and principle approaches
	9.3 D’Almbert’s Treatise on Dynamics: its structure and contents
	9.4 D’Alembert’s Treatise as a contribution to rational mechanics
	9.5 D’Alembert’s Treatise as a contribution to philosophical mechanics: a constructive approach
	9.6 D’Alembert’s Treatise as a contribution to philosophical mechanics: a principle approach
	9.7 Ontic and nomic unity
	9.8 Nature, Action, Evidence, and Principle
	9.9 Conclusions
10. Building bodies: Euler and impressed force mechanics
	10.1 Introduction
	10.2 Solving MCON
	10.3 Newton’s Lex Secunda, Euler’s principles, Cauchy’s laws of motion
	10.4 Solving MCON1
	10.5 Assessment
	10.6 Conclusions
11. External obstacles: Lagrange and the mechanics of constraints
	11.1 Introduction
	11.2 The Principle of Virtual Velocities and “Lagrange’s Principle”
	11.3 Constraints: equations of condition
	11.4 Lagrange’s Relaxation Postulate: the kinematics and dynamics of constraints
	11.5 Philosophical mechanics and Lagrange’s Mechanique
	11.6 Action
	11.7 Evidence
	11.8 Assessment
	11.9 Conclusions
12. Philosophical mechanics in the Late Enlightenment
	12.1 Introduction
	12.2 Makers and spaces
	12.3 Lagrangian nomic unification
	12.4 Molecular ontic unification
	12.5 The Cauchy package
	12.6 Conclusions
Conclusions
Bibliography
Index