The Philosophy of Robert Boyle

First Published in 2004. This book presents the first integrated treatment of the mechanical or corpuscular philosophy of Robert Boyle, one of the leading English natural philosophers of the Scientific Revolution. It focuses on the concepts central to Boyle?€?s philosophy, including the theory of matter and its qualities, causation, laws of nature, motion and the incorporeal. The book is divided into two parts?€”the first examining the manner in which Boyle distinguished between various types of qualities, his view on the perception of these qualities and the ontological status of the sensible qualities. The second part examines Boyle?€?s mechanism in general. Through detailed examination of Boyle?€?s conceptions of motion, laws and space, it is argued that Boyle upholds a unique view of the causal interaction of natural bodies.

Introduction; Part 1 The theory of qualities; Chapter 1 Distinctions among the qualities; Chapter 2 Distinguishing criteria for the primary qualities; Chapter 3 The perception of the sensible qualities; Chapter 4 The ontological status of the sensible qualities; Part 2 Matter in motion; Chapter 5 Natural and violent states and motions; Chapter 6 The nature of place; Chapter 7 Laws and concurrence; Chapter 8 Mind/body interaction;

Peter R.Anstey is a postdoctoral fellow in the School of Philosophy at the University of Sydney. He has had a long-term interest in the natural philosophy of Robert Boyle and is co-editor of the Boyle newsletter