Stephen Pumfrey

Stephen Pumfrey tells the story of a treatise written by William Gilbert (1544-1603) on his theory of magnetic philosophy. Gilbert claimed that the Earth is a giant magnet (or lodestone, as they called them) that helps to align compasses and even affects the motion of the Earth through space. He sought not only to overturn Aristotelian science, but Ptolemaic cosmology as well. This theological double-whammy lead him to be pursued and silenced by all the "learned" men of the day, even decades after his death. Pumfrey presents the story more as an explication of Gilbert's main published works, only because there really isn't much biographical detail available for Gilbert (one surviving letter, one lone monument, etc.). Overall it's a good book, but could benefit from more illustrations concerning magnetism. A quick read.… (altro)