Doctoral Dissertation Research in the History of Science and Technology

Alice Walters，博士生：毕业论文，“启蒙的工具：科学文本和工具以及18世纪英国思想的传播。”在18世纪，科学书籍和仪器——用来传播自然世界知识的有形物品——既是媒介，也是商品，而且它们的作用方式非常相似。在约翰·海尔布伦教授的指导下，沃尔特斯女士正在她的论文研究中利用这一事实，试图阐明两者在18世纪英国思想传播中的作用。Walters女士区分了书籍和工具作为媒介的四种功能，分别定义为测量、建模、放大和制造，这与人类对自然行为能力的四种不同概念相对应。特别强调了主动功能、放大和制造。作为商品，书籍和仪器经常是由同样的人出于同样的原因生产、宣传、销售和消费的。对这些市场活动进行审查，特别关注许多对书籍和乐器都有专业或商业兴趣的个人。最后，通过考虑各种商业活动对这些物品及其展示所传达的思想的影响，书籍和乐器的概念和商业功能被捆绑在一起。

Alice Walters, doctoral student: Dissertation, "Tools of Enlightenment: Scientific Texts and Instruments and the Dissemination of Ideas in Eighteenth-Century Britain." During the 18th century, scientific books and instruments-- tangible objects designed to communicate knowledge about the natural world--acted both as media and merchandise, and did so in remarkably similar ways. Ms. Walters, working under the direction of Professor John Heilbron, is exploiting this fact in her dissertation research which seeks to elucidate the role of both in the dissemination of ideas in 18th century Britain. Ms. Walters distinguishes four functions of books and instruments as media, defined as measuring, modeling, magnifying, and manufacturing, which correspond to four different conceptions of mankind's ability to act on nature. Special emphasis is placed on the active functions, magnification and manufacture. As commodities, books and instruments were produced, advertised, sold, and consumed, frequently by the same individuals for the same reasons. These market activities are examined, with particular attention focused on the many individuals with professional or commercial interests in both books and instruments. Finally, the conceptual and commercial functions of books and instruments are tied together through consideration of the impact of the various commercial activities on the ideas communicated by these objects and their presentation.