John Henry (historian)

File:John Henry, HSS 2008.jpg

John Henry

John Henry (born 1950) is Historian of Science in the Science Studies Unit at the University of Edinburgh associated with the Strong Programme.

Biography

Henry has written books and articles on numerous topics in the history of sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth century science including books on the work of Francis Bacon, the Scientific Revolution, and Nicolaus Copernicus. His articles include research on the work of Isaac Newton and later Newtonianism, Atomism and a range of other subjects. Often his focus is on the unexpected links between the development of modern science and previous systems of knowledge and understanding, particularly those of Natural Magic. In this respect his work can be seen to disagree with The Zilsel Thesis which sees the emergence of modern Science as being a radical break with the previous religious or magical traditions. Instead of seeing a great rift, Henry's work emphasises the importance of investigative techniques taken from magical traditions for many of the key figures of the scientific revolution.

Works

• Knowledge is Power: Francis Bacon and the Method of Science (2002)
• The Scientific Revolution and the Origins of Modern Science (1997, 2002 2nd ed)
• Moving Heaven and Earth: Copernicus and the Solar System (2001)
• Scientific knowledge: a sociological analysis (with David Bloor and S. Barry Barnes) (1996)