The Optical Papers of Isaac Newton 2 Volume Hardback Set

This complete two-volume edition of Newton's optical papers contains both his Optical Lectures and the Opticks, with notes and commentary.

Isaac Newton (Author), Alan E. Shapiro (Edited by)

9781108954228, Cambridge University Press

Multiple-component retail product, published 25 February 2021

1080 pages
29.9 x 19.5 x 7.3 cm, 2.7 kg

'These two volumes are the fruit of a formidable body of meticulous scholarly research into Newton's surviving optical writings by Alan E. Shapiro, extending back over many years … I warmly congratulate Professor Shapiro on his splendid achievement, over many years, in finally laying before us the contents of Newtons Optical Papers.' Allan Chapman, The Observatory

This complete edition of Newton's optical papers contains two volumes: the first details his Optical Lectures, delivered at Cambridge University between 1670 and 1672, while the second documents the evolution of the Opticks, the most influential optical and experimental work of the eighteenth century. The Lectures is Newton's first major scientific treatise, and represents a crucial link between his early years of discovery and his mature publications. The complete text of both surviving versions of the Lectures, an early version and a vastly expanded revision, is included here, together with translation and commentary. The second volume opens with the first edition of the Opticks (1704) and the first draft in Latin. The manuscripts of the queries that Newton added to the Latin translation in 1706 and the second English edition (1717) follow this, accompanied by shorter manuscripts, copious notes and commentary. This is an essential resource for the study of Newtonian science.

Volume 1: Introduction
Synopsis of the Lectiones opticae and Optica and their major differences
Concordance of article numbers
Lectiones opitcae: Optica: Part I. The Refractions of Light Rays: 1. The refrangibility of rays differs
2. The measure of refractions
3. The refractions of planes
4. The refractions of curved surfaces
Part II. The Origin of Colors: 5. The doctrine of colors is set forth and proved by prismatic experiments
6. Various phenomena of colors
Bibliography
Index
Volume 2: 1. Introduction
2. First edition of the Opticks
3. Fundamentum Opticae (The Foundation of Optics)
4. Additions to Optice
5. Queries 17–31 for the second English edition of the Opticks (1717)
Bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: History of engineering & technology [TBX], History of science [PDX], Philosophy of science [PDA]