The Transformation of Science in Germany at the Beginning of the Nineteenth Century: Physics, Mathematics, Poetry, and Philosophy

This volume brings together a surprising number of scholars from different disciplines who all contribute to the plethora of insights that lead to early nineteenth century science in Germany. Many books have looked at early nineteenth century science through the lens of the whole of Europe. This book takes a solidly Germanic view of natural science, depicting a view of natural science. It dismantles the well-worn cliche of a speculative philosophy and an empirical natural science that began to move further and further away from each other, ultimately becoming irreconcilable. Such an interpretation of the physical-philosophical discourse into different disciplines imposes the dualistic viewpoint of our own time onto an era where erecting such categorical boundaries between knowledge areas was completely foreign. A discussion of physics in the early nineteenth century drew no distinction between itself and philosophy, which is the biggest contribution of this volume.