Wednesday, March 12, 2008

 

Historical Meme:Things about Stephen Gray

























Stefan Scherer of Backreation has tagged me with one of those blog memes - in this case, a variant of the Historical Meme. The idea is to:

Actually, as like Stefan, I’m a bit of a science history buff. This does present a problem, since in being so it is difficult to choose one out of the many people I have come to admire. However, what came to the rescue in my quandary was the recent unfortunate episode that took place resultant of comments made in a entry that was posted on Backreaction just before I was tagged. This brought to mind a scientific figure in history who defines as a hero for me not simply because he added to the book of understanding of nature, yet more importantly that he did this despite what would be for many seemingly insurmountable obstacles. The person I have thus chosen is as noted Stephen Gray.




“The electric fire which by several of these experiments seems to be of the same nature with that of thunder and lightening.”

Today it is agreed by many, that he should be regarded as the father of electrical communications and therefore not Morse, Marconi or Bell, which instead were the benefactors’ of his contributions. That is he was the first to conduct experiments that would be after understood and later refined to lead to the realization of both its methods and potential. Ironically the reason he wasn’t is not resultant of his humble beginnings or station, nor certainly of lacking of commitment or ability, yet mainly the tyranny of the most noted person in modern science. He thus stands and serves as a lesson from which all his peers after should take note of and consider.

It should not be thought that I have written this to villanize and thus lessen your respect for Newton. It was done rather to perhaps have you now come to respect and admire one who truly deserves to be.

The information in this post was primarily sourced from the book entitled “Newton’s Tyranny (The Suppressed Scientific Discoveries of Stephen Gray and John Flamsteed)” written by David H. Clark and Stephen P.H. Clark-W.H. Freeman and Company-2000. Also in relation to the quanity of things I noted you will discover I can't count:-)


Oh yes my tags are as follows:

Think Deviant
Knots Untied
The Quantum Pontiff






Comments:
Well done Phil,

Phil:It should not be thought that I have written this to villanize and thus lessen your respect for Newton. It was done rather to perhaps have you now come to respect and admire one who truly deserves to be.

You reminded me of a blog entry I wrote on The Character of our Heros

The historical part is of great interest to me as well, as I can learn to understand how history actually unfolded. That we can get a truer picture of "the spaces" and sequences in that history. Only study or individual can bring that out for us had we not known of this or that person.
 
Oh, and welcome to blogging.
 
Hi Phil,


wow, very interesting!! I did remember Stephen Gray vaguely for some early experiments with electrical currents, but I was completely unaware of his story, and the difficult circumstances of his life.

Thank you very much for this great post!

Best regards, Stefan
 
Hi Plato,

I’m glad you liked the post and very much appreciate your comments. I also had a peek at your post you pointed out and must agree that we see Newton and those like him pretty much the same. To think that to vilify Newton as the point would of course totally miss the mark. The venerable Gray although he may or may not have had a mind as powerful as Newton’s demonstrated himself to be so much more complete and enlightened as a person. You could say that without Newton we would have never been able to gauge just how great Gray was.

Best,

Phil
 
Hi Stefan,

I am pleased that you enjoyed the post. I also consider it high praise as it comes from the co-author of one of the highest rated academic blogs on the Web. You and Bee should indeed be proud both for your acumen for writing and your generosity and love of teaching. I believe that you both have the mind and spirit of the person I chose to give honor to.

Best,

Phil
 
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