REFORM

• Objective


  By the end of the lesson, the students will have a greater consciousness of the role that science and technology play in our society to reflect on how they influence their lifestyle
• Nebulae, star clusters, binary stars

  • Discovered by William Herschel
• Uranus


  Discovered in 1781 by William Herschel
• William Herschel


  • Appointed as the King's astronomer
  • Able to build a 40-foot telescope
  • Discovered hundreds of new celestial objects
• John Herschel


  • Born on March 7, 1792
  • The son of Mary Baldwin Pitt and the famous astronomer William Herschel
• John Herschel


  • Tutored in the advanced techniques developed by continental mathematicians
  • Algebraic analysis with descriptions of the physical world
• The University of Cambridge had little interest in mathematical developments outside of the UK
• Dot-age


  Newton's approach to calculus, notation of dots over variables and geometrical representation, describing the motion of objects under the influence of force, deeply rooted in physical reality and practical application
• 1. ism


  Mathematical notation developed by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, introduced the concept of differentials, used in more complex mathematical and engineering problems
• Dot-age and D-ism significantly contributed to the advancement of calculus and provided multiple perspectives and tools for tackling complex problems
• John Herschel


  • Logical methods of analysis were essential to re-establish the UK's leading position in the field of mathematics
• The Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society was a venue with a history of resistance to pure mathematics
• John Herschel was awarded the Copley medal in 1821 for his contributions to mathematics
• Herschel's initial efforts to use the Analytical Society to stimulate the reform of mathematics instruction at Cambridge seemed to fail
• John Herschel


  • In the 1820's, he was at the center of making science more egalitarian
  • Helped transform natural philosophy into modern science and the natural philosopher into the modern scientist
• In London, John Herschel moved from pure to applied mathematics, as science had no firm disciplinary boundaries, including chemistry, mineralogy, and optics
• John Herschel observed that London's scientific institutions were stagnant and in dire need of reform
• At Cambridge, John Herschel spearheaded a movement with a group of scientific rebels
• John Herschel combined his mathematical agenda with the reform of science through astronomy
• Astronomical Society of London


  • Provided a vehicle for applying new mathematics to the practice
  • Built a correspondence network with astronomers across Europe
  • Aimed to become the clearinghouse for the world's astronomical data
• John Herschel


  • Inherited a unique astronomical legacy from his father, William Herschel
  • William Herschel's pursuit remained the domain of an eccentric amateur
  • William Herschel's observing program was suited to his own unique instruments
  • William Herschel's catalogs lacked standardized descriptions
• John Herschel's career in astronomy would be built around addressing the requirements of his father's work
• At the Cape


  • In 1833, John Herschel revisited all his father's targets in the northern sky, an entire hemisphere not yet swept by a telescope
  • Herschel wanted the freedom to pursue his astronomical observations on his own terms
  • Herschel spent four years at the Cape and became the first and only person in history to closely survey the entire visible sky by telescope
• The Cape Results, a massive volume published in 1847, brought the wonders of the southern skies to view and was distributed to observatories around the world
• John Herschel was made a baronet by Queen Victoria for his services to science, and a gala was thrown in London to welcome him home
• In 1830, there was a confrontation between the reforming and conservative parties of the Royal Society over who would be its next president
• John Herschel had no desire for leadership, as he wanted the freedom to pursue his own scientific projects, not the responsibility of leading the Royal Society
• A Preliminary Discourse


  The book that invented science, articulated the relationship between mathematics and natural philosophy and showed how scientific discoveries were made, both a defense of the scientific life and a manual for how to construct scientific theories, became a popular bestseller and was read by those who would become the leading scientists of the next generation
• John Herschel


  • Pushed science toward standardization and mathematical analysis and away from traditions of prestige and privilege
  • His work molded the contours of age and helped shape the ideals of modern science
• John Herschel was recognized by an entire generation of scientific practitioners, and at the time of his death, only beginning to be referred to as scientists—for helping define the practice of science itself
• Science


  A way of understanding the natural world through observation, experimentation, and reasoning, constantly evolving as new discoveries are made and new questions are asked, influenced by social, cultural, historical, and ethical factors
• Science involves both collaboration and competition among scientists who share their findings and methods with the scientific community and the public, and has limitations and uncertainties, cannot answer all questions or solve all problems