Jacob's work in exploring the Ideological Meanings of Western Science looks into the
interpretations by Latour concerning Hobbes and Boyle and then sketches the
outlines of a different interpretation with historical and ideological
implications beginning with Boyle, encompassing Newton and the Newtonians, and
pointing toward the Enlightenment and modernity.
Reading through this work, there is a lot that I am unable
to put a good lens out, and I concede that I do not believe that this would
have much use for a new physics student. It is interesting in how it examines
motivations and ideologies of the scientists and the times. The world could
potentially be a very different place had these ideologies changed to be
different from what they are. Changing the interpretation of the time also
changes the motivations of the scientists as well, and it brings into question
whether or not there was something more that they sought from the work.
Jacob claims that Latour choose to simply ignore key forces
that were acting on Hobbes. From this choice springs a cascade effect that
alters the interpretation and motivation of Hobbes.
This work shows just how important it is to get the frame of
reference correct when looking at historical documents for any reason. By
changing that frame, it changes the tones of the work that was done. No longer
are things done for the betterment of all, but rather there is some underlying
motivation that is not apparent in the other frame.
Thinking about all of this makes me have a headache to be
honest. This is most definitely not my milieu, but it is a very well put
together argument by Jacob.
Margaret Jacob, "Reflections on the ideological meanings of modern science from Boyle and Newton to the postmodernists," History of Science, Vol. 33, pages 333-357 (1995)
