Séminaire – Histoire et philosophie de la physique

Robert DiSalle (Western University)

Le titre sera communiqué ultérieurement.

Vincenzo di Risi (Cnrs, SPHERE)

« The Genesis of Relationism. Leibniz’ Early Theory of Space and Newton’s Scholium »
The talk considers the evolution of Leibniz’s philosophy of space, and the genesis of his famous relational theory that he opposed Newton in the course of the Leibniz-Clarke Correspondence. A detailed analysis of Leibniz’ various definitions of space shows that we need to reconsider in depth the chronology of Leibniz’s philosophy of space. Finally, the relationship between Leibniz and Newton on the dispute between absolute and relational space is reconsidered in a new light, an unknown source of Leibniz’s conception of space is discussed, and the possibility for a different reading of the Leibniz-Clarke Correspondence is opened up.

David M. Miller (Auburn University)

« Getting inertia straight in Galileo, Descartes, and Newton »
The coordination of physical principles with phenomena is an under-examined component of scientific knowledge and an important catalyst of theoretical change. For instance, the idea that an undisturbed body will persist in its state of motion has its origins in medieval impetus theories. And yet, this conservation principle did not become the modern law of inertia until ‘conserved motion’ came to mean “uniform rectilinear translation.” My presentation describes how this specific coordination came about in the work of early modern physicists, culminating in the modern principle.

Lieu : salle Malevitch 483A bâtiment Condorcet