William Gilbert (1544-1603): Difference between revisions
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William Gilbert ( | William Gilbert (1544?-1603), natural philosopher | ||
In recognition of his coining the word ''electricitas'' (derived from the Greek word for amber) and for expanding the range of electrics and electrostatic experiments, Gilbert has been called the "father of electricity". This designation misses the point that Gilbert's purpose was to distinguish magnetic attraction from its traditional occult partner by showing that electricity was a material property of many substances, whereas magnetism was immaterial and unique. | In recognition of his coining the word ''electricitas'' (derived from the Greek word for amber) and for expanding the range of electrics and electrostatic experiments, Gilbert has been called the "father of electricity". This designation misses the point that Gilbert's purpose was to distinguish magnetic attraction from its traditional occult partner by showing that electricity was a material property of many substances, whereas magnetism was immaterial and unique. | ||
Latest revision as of 20:20, 10 January 2017
William Gilbert (1544?-1603), natural philosopher
In recognition of his coining the word electricitas (derived from the Greek word for amber) and for expanding the range of electrics and electrostatic experiments, Gilbert has been called the "father of electricity". This designation misses the point that Gilbert's purpose was to distinguish magnetic attraction from its traditional occult partner by showing that electricity was a material property of many substances, whereas magnetism was immaterial and unique.
See Also
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Sources of Information
- Biography of William Gilbert, ODNB