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Chemistry, Cameralistics and the Church: Richard Watson's Life (1737-1816)

Palmer, Bill (2006). Chemistry, Cameralistics and the Church: Richard Watson's Life (1737-1816). In: Cieśla, Paweł, Nodzyńska, Małgorzata and Paśko, Jan Rajmund The II International Conference: Research in Didactics of Chemistry, Krakow, Poland, 29 June - 1 July 2006.

Document type: Conference Paper
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Author Palmer, Bill
Title Chemistry, Cameralistics and the Church: Richard Watson's Life (1737-1816)
Conference Name The II International Conference: Research in Didactics of Chemistry
Conference Location Krakow, Poland
Conference Dates 29 June - 1 July 2006
Conference Publication Title Research in Didactics of the Sciences: The II International Conference DYDCHEM 2006
Editor Cieśla, Paweł
Nodzyńska, Małgorzata
Paśko, Jan Rajmund
Place of Publication Krakow, Poland
Publisher Pedagogical University of Kraków
Publication Year 2006
ISBN 83-85886-12-5   (check CDU catalogue open catalogue search in new window)
Start Page 317
End Page 329
Total Pages 13
HERDC Category E1 - Conference Publication (DEST)
Abstract Richard Watson may not come high in any list of famous scientists though he made some useful contributions to the emerging eighteenth century science of chemistry. He became a professor of chemistry at Cambridge with no knowledge of chemistry but soon overcame this initial ignorance through hard work. He visited mines and factories, giving their owners advice on the problems that they faced. He then changed career path becoming a Professor of Divinity and later became a Bishop in the Church of England. He had been politically active since his youth, but, as a Bishop, he was able to attend the House of Lords, achieving considerable political influence. He retired to an estate that he had purchased in the Lake District and busied himself in his latter years with applying his scientific knowledge to the practice of agriculture. His is an interesting personality that illustrates a number of paradoxes both about the nature of science at that time and the use of scientific expertise as a means of social advancement.
 
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Created: Fri, 12 Sep 2008, 08:35:25 CST by Administrator