Two Principal Laws of Thermodynamics: A Cultural and Historical Exploration - Hardcover

Berg, J H Van Den

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0820703540 ISBN 13: 9780820703541

Publisher: Duquesne University Press, 2004

Synopsis

In the first two chapters, van den Berg deals with the discovery of the first main law by Count Rumford and with the rediscovery of this law by Julius Mayer. Contributions made by Carnot, Clausius and Lord Kelvin in discovering the second main law are treated in the third chapter. Perhaps most interestingly, the final two chapters deal explicitly with the relationships between major cultural shifts of the time and the discovery of these laws.

About this title

Synopsis:

This short work describes the historical and cultural context surrounding discovery of the first two laws of thermodynamics. As in previous works by van den Berg, this interesting look at cultural history and trends employs a metabletic approach -- that is, the study of changes in our human perception and conceptualisation at particular times in history. When a discovery is made in a particular period, then, it often occurs around the same time by different people working independently -- and such discoveries may be viewed in relation to the overall sociological, cultural and political climate at the same time. This metabletic approach, admittedly sometimes controversial, is discussed in the translators' introduction, which provides readers unfamiliar with such an approach an overview and places the present work in context.

About the Author:

J. H. van den Berg taught psychology and psychiatry for many years at the Universities of Leyden and Utrecht in the Netherlands.

About this edition

• Publisher: Duquesne University Press
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0820703540
• ISBN 13: 9780820703541
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 134