Hepburn, Brian
(2016)
Euler's Galilean philosophy of science.
In: UNSPECIFIED.
Abstract
Here is a phrase never uttered before: ”Euler’s philosophy of science.”
Known as an extraordinary mathematician first, a mathematical physicist
Known as an extraordinary mathematician first, a mathematical physicist
second, but never really a physicist — not enough empirical cred — no one
has considered whether Euler had a philosophy of science. Even his famed
“Letters to a Princess” is described as a somewhat naive parroting of New-
ton. But Euler is no Newtonian. His philosophy of science borrows from
Leibniz, a little from Descartes (in spite of, nay, because of, his critiques of
both), but is best seen as continuous with the tradition of a Galilean interpre-
tation of the world as consisting of interacting mechanisms, and the practice
of letting the requirements of sound mechanical description and problem
solving dictate metaphysics.
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