's Gravesande's early career

What is it about?

W. J. ’s Gravesande (1688-1742) was one of the key figures in the development of experimental physics in the early eighteenth century, and is particularly known for spreading the 'Newtonian philosophy'. Up to know, it has been thought that 's Gravesande got his main inspiration for his career in science from a meeting with Isaac Newton himself, and that Newton kickstarted 's Gravesande's career by getting him a professorship in Leiden. By rewriting 's Gravesande's biography, I show however that he had already built up a reputation in scholarly circles before meeting Newton, and that their encouter was less consequential than we have previously thought.

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Why is it important?

Although it is undeniable that Isaac Newton played a major role in the development of physics in the eighteenth century, it is not always clear exactly what this role was. Many of the later figures that have been inspired by Newton are much more obscure even though they were far-famed in their own time. Understanding those figures, however, is of key importance for understanding the Newtonian project and the birth of more modern scientific disciplines that developed from the natural philosophy of Newton himself.