4-year PhD Studentship on ‘s Gravesande

Four-year PhD Studentship "In the footsteps of Newton? ‘s Gravesande’s Scientific Methodology" (1 January 2014 – 31 December 2018; full-time)

Based at the Free University of Brussels (Centre for Logic and Philosophy of Science; www.vub.ac.be/CLWF) the project "In the footsteps of Newton? ‘s Gravesande’s Scientific Methodology" runs from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2018. The research project is funded by the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO) (www.fwo.be). The doctoral student will conduct his or her doctoral research under the supervision of Prof. dr. Steffen Ducheyne.

 

Description of the research project

This research project will scrutinize W. J. ‘s Gravesande’s (1688-1742) scientific methodology. ‘s Gravesande was one of earliest advocates of Newtonianism on the Continent and his works were highly influential. Surprisingly, there are few detailed studies of ‘s Gravesande’s methodological views proper and their relevance for his scientific practice. This research project seeks to fill in this scholarly gap by providing a historical and philosophical account of ‘s Gravesande’s methodology both in precept and in practice. Following ‘s Gravesande’s own statements, many scholars have been led to believe that he was a follower of Newton’s methodology without, however, providing detailed justification for this claim. The overarching goal of this research proposal is to explicate ‘s Gravesande’s scientific methodology and to determine whether or not his methodology may be rightfully considered as ‘Newtonian’. Given its set-up, this research proposal will have broader implications for the study of eighteenth-century Newtonianism in general. (The extended version of this research proposal is available upon request.)