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Paolo and all,***********************************************************
The use of the terms "General Physics" and "Particular Physics" were used pretty generally certainly up to the first half of the 19th century. In 1840 an American, Alonzo Gray, published a textbook titled "Chemistry:Containing the Principles of the Science" (published by Gould, Newman and Saxton in New York.) He writes the followng:
II. Chemistry employs, in part, the method of general physics, and, in part, the method of particular physics. By the latter we mean that its object is, in part, to describe particular bodies or substances, by giving an account of the various properties of each one, before calling the attention to another. It invites our attention to the phenomena only of imperceptible distance. With some aid from calculation and observation, it depends for discovery chiefly upon experiment, and has therefore been called experimental philosophy. Its object is a knowledge of the constitution of substances and of the phenomena attending a change of constitution.
III. Natural History employs the method of particular physics, observes the phenomena of perceptible distance, and depends for discovery chiefly upon observation, with some aid from experiment and calculation. Its object is a knowledge of natural objects. It embraces Zoology, or the study of animals, Botany, or the study of plants, Mineralogy, which treats of minerals, and Geology, which describes and accounts for the condition of the crust of the earth. The physiology of plants and animals is sometimes referred to Botany and Zoology respectively, and sometimes regarded as a fourth distinct branch of Natural Science.
I hope this is of some help.
Best,
Rand
Rand B. Evans, Ph.D.
Emeritus Professor of Psychology
________________________________________
From: Paolo Brenni [pbrenni@imss.fi.it]
Sent: Thursday, September 10, 2009 2:14 AM
To: rete@maillist.ox.ac.uk
Subject: [rete] General and particular physics
Dear Retians,
I need an information. Up to 1830-40 circa in Italy, France and in other
continental European countries, physics (and its teaching) was divided
in "physique générale" and "physique particulière". The first included
the general laws and the phenomena of mechanics and celestial mechanics,
while the second was dedicated to optics, acoustics, magnetism and
electricity.
Did such subdivision exist in Great Britain or in the USA?
If yes,. what denominations were used for these two branches of physics?
Thanks for your help