Physics in the Nineteenth Century

PurringtonÆs masterly survey conveys to the reader an authentic view of the development of physics in the nineteenth century, the period of the maturation of classical science. His book has also the great virtue of a balanced view of the relation of scientific ideas to the social and intellectual milieu in which they were developed.

Robert PurringtonÆs book is indeed a splendid overview of physics in the nineteenth century. It is an insightful account of how physics emerged as an autonomous discipline, and an impressive account of the evolution of its conceptual foundations during the nineteenth century.

Those who teach the history of physics have long needed this book. Early modern physics and the eighteenth century have been well served, but the nineteenth century remained an orphan. No historian was brave enough to take on the complexities and the sheer volume of work in that period. Robert Purrington accomplishes the job superbly in clear, engaging language. He refreshes the tale of the period by showing the crucial interactions of experiment and theory without denigrating the role of either. His discussion of the changing social contexts and the philosophical influences on physicists further enriches the narrative.