ROBERT HOOKE

politics.

 

Robert Hooke was born in a period of political unrest during the 17th century, where political power was constantly being fought over, jeopardizing the stability of the social life of the middle class due to the influence of the corrupt government and high governmental officials. In the year of 1649, the monarch of England, King Charles I, was beheaded after being overthrown by rebellious radical Protestants (Burgan, 57). Accordingly, in 1653, Oliver Cromwell dissolved the power of the Parliament and thus established himself as England’s dictator, naming himself “Lord Protector (Burgan, 58).” Power-hungry England began to seek more control, and this was accomplished by seizing New Amsterdam from the Dutch, and changing the name to New York in the year of 1664 (Burgan, 59). As political stability furthermore broke in 1665 through the negative influence of the deadly Great Plague (Burgan 60), this also influenced the political split and corruption between scientists of the 17th century. Many of the scientists split into two groups, one side arguing for the inductive, empirical characteristics of the Baconian approach to science, and the opposing side arguing for the deductive, hypothetical qualities of the Cartesian approach to science (Inwood, 66). Furthermore, as political stability fell in England during Hooke’s life, many of the leading scientists in London switched schools to Oxford, striving for a more politically cooperative educational push towards academics (Inwood, 68). Since Hooke was just beginning his studies in Westminster in the late 1640’s, this educational shift in the 17th century scientist affected Robert Hooke to eventually decide to pursue his scientific studies at Oxford as well. Furthermore, this political unrest influenced the political dispute between Robert Hooke and Isaac Newton between the years of 1679-1680 (Koyre, 75). The corrupt political unrest surrounded the life of Robert Hooke, which correspondingly led to the political unrest within the scientific field. This political unrest within the scientific field led to the doubt and questioning of Robert Hooke’s studies, providing him with the scientific inquiry necessary to successfully make worldwide scientific discoveries and acclaims.