TY - BOOK AU - King,W.James TI - The Natural Philosophy of William Gilbert and His Predecessors T2 - Contributions from the Museum of History and Technology, Paper 8 AV - QC PY - 2010/// CY - Salt Lake City, UT PB - Project Gutenberg KW - Gilbert, William, 1544-1603 KW - Magnetism -- History N1 - Release date is 2010-04-15; Produced by Chris Curnow, Joseph Cooper and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net; Original publication data not identified N2 - "The Natural Philosophy of William Gilbert and His Predecessors" by W. James King is a scientific publication written in the mid-20th century. The book explores the contributions of William Gilbert, a key figure in the transition from medieval to modern natural philosophy, especially focusing on his work related to magnetism and electricity. It analyzes how Gilbert's theories were influenced by earlier scholarship and how he, in turn, laid foundational concepts for later scientific developments. The book delves into Gilbert's groundbreaking work, particularly his seminal text "De magnete," which provided extensive insights into the nature of magnetism. King traces the historical context of Gilbert’s work, comparing his views with those of his predecessors, including Aristotle, St. Thomas Aquinas, and other influential thinkers. The author argues that while Gilbert is often celebrated as a pioneer of modern physics, his ideas were deeply rooted in the scholastic traditions of his time. King's examination reveals the complex interplay between innovation and tradition in Gilbert's approach, illustrating how his interpretations of magnetic attraction and other phenomena represented a critical, yet transitional, point in the evolution of scientific thought. (This is an automatically generated summary.) UR - https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/31999 ER -