Robert Boyle

Anglo-Irish natural philosopher, chemist, physicist, and inventor · Academics · Lived 1627 to 1691 · aged 64

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He turned chemistry from mystical art into measurable science - the man who proved air has weight and that gases follow rules you can write down.

Scientists Scientist Physics Chemistry Philosophy Early Modern Era

A life in dates

1691Died31 December 16911682“Among Latin writers, the acceptations of the word nature are so many, that I remember, one author reckons up no less than fourteen or fifteen.”In their wordsSect. 1Read the whole statement

“And of universal nature, the notion I would offer, should be something like this.”In their wordsSect. 2.Read the whole statement

1675“And first the Doctrine that all their Theory is grounded on, seems to me Inevident and undemonstrated, not to say precarious.”In their wordsA source.Read the whole statement

1661“I shall take leave to think the worse, rather of the practice of the men than of the book of God.”In their words"Some Considerations Touching the Style of the Holy Scriptures" (1661) "Seventh Objection", as quoted in Treatises on the High VenerationRead the whole statement

“For it has been truly observed by a great philosopher, that truth does more easily emerge out of error than confusion.”In their words, wherein, with some Considerations touching Experimental Essays in general, Is interwoven such an Introduction to all those written by theRead the whole statement

1627Born25 January 1627

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Photos 8

The Shannon Portrait of the Hon Robert Boyle

Portrait of The Honourable Robert Boyle (1627 - 1691) Wellcome M0006615

Portrait of The Honourable Robert Boyle (1627 - 1691) Wellcome V0023488

Portrait of The Honourable Robert Boyle (1627 - 1691) Wellcome L0003050

Portrait of The Honourable Robert Boyle (1627 - 1691) Wellcome V0000732

Portrait of The Honourable Robert Boyle (1627 - 1691) Wellcome L0010544

Portrait of The Honourable Robert Boyle (1627 - 1691) Wellcome V0000715

Robert Boyle 0001

In their own words 9

Robert Boyle

9 statements, newest first

Among Latin writers, the acceptations of the word nature are so many, that I remember, one author reckons up no less than fourteen or fifteen.
1682, Sect. 1, Own words
And of universal nature, the notion I would offer, should be something like this.
1682, Sect. 2., Own words
And first the Doctrine that all their Theory is grounded on, seems to me Inevident and undemonstrated, not to say precarious.
1675, A source., Own words

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Fellow of the Royal Society

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Robert Boyle

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About this person

Born in 1627 to Anglo-Irish wealth, Boyle came of age when alchemy still ruled the bench. He brought the experimental method to chemistry: isolating variables, repeating trials, trusting only what the apparatus showed. In 1662 he formalized the law that bears his name - pressure and volume of a gas move in inverse proportion at constant temperature - a relationship you could predict and test. His book "The Sceptical Chymist" dismantled the old elemental dogmas and laid groundwork for the field as we know it. A devout Anglican, he wrote theology alongside his science, died in 1691, and left chemistry irreversibly changed: no longer opus, now experiment.

Academics born in the 1620s 6

William Brouncker, 2nd Viscount Brouncker49.8

Nicholas Mercator49.8

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