The rise of public science

What became of the rhetorical promises of the early Royal Society? How was it that the experimental philosophy of the early Newtonians was regarded by some as destructive of British society and by others as its savior? Why did numerous entrepreneurs in the eighteenth century come to see Newton's disciples as the means to ensure success in the wild world of technical adventures? In the convergence of social and intellectual issues, these are some of the questions The Rise of Public Science seeks to answer by exploring the social attitudes toward the claims and activities of the natural philosophers in Britain from the Restoration to the first stage of industrialization. Situating science amidst the social and intellectual transformation of the times, Stewart considers the religious conflicts, political changes, and technological demands that influenced the development of natural philosophy by the early eighteenth century. Through Newton's disciples, he explores the reasons for the popularity of science and its controversial links with a variety of technical and entrepreneurial ventures on the verge of the Industrial Revolution.