Friday, May 27, 2005

Hooke, Boyle, and Besson: The history of the airpump

I just stumbled across an interesting little diversion. As an engineer, I've always taken umbrage with the disciplinary title of "applied science." Personally, I believe that engineering is a very different epistemic animal from science and certainly more than just the application of scientific principles to the problems of the material world. Unlike scientists, engineers don't care about the question: "Is it true?"; A far more practical question is "does it work?"

This argument is hardly a new one. Authors such as Petroski and Ferguson have stood on the barricades for a number of years. Other engineers such as Vincenti have made notable efforts but have stumbled due to the all-consuming discourse of science.

My discovery is a small one but it's rooted in a fairly important historical event. In 1659 Robert Boyle introduced the world (or at least the Royal Society) to his "machina Boyleana" aka "The Air-Pump." As noted by Shapin and Schaffer, the air pump was the "big science" of its day. Boyle's demonstrations of the phenomena revealed by the air pump resulted in much of the literary and documentary practice evident in modern science.

Boyle was an Irish aristocrat. The importance of nobility for making validity claims in the early days of science cannot be overstated. While Boyle made have had the inspiration for creating the air pump, the assistant who actually created the mechanical marvel was Robert Hooke. The stories of the air pump depict Boyle as the visionary alchemical genius ably assisted by the Igor-like--but mechanically brilliant--Hooke. Sui generis, they created the air pump.

The truth is something different. I'm particularly interested in Hooke's contribution. Of particular interest to me is how Hooke managed to create such an advanced mechanical contraption. From a scientific perspective, the air pump may have been one of a kind but the mechanical components of the device were certainly part of the documentary record. Indeed, reviewing the catalog compiled for the liquidation of Hooke's library following his death (Bibliotheca Hookiana), it's apparent that Hooke owned a number of the theatrum machinarum such as the works of Besson, Zonca, and Agricola. Oddly, these works are listed together in the catalog indicating that Hooke may have shelved them together.

Given the presence of these works in Hooke's collection, is seems that he would certainly have consulted them before creating the air-pump. If this is the case, science may owe more to technology than technology to science. Indeed, perhaps science should bear the title of "applied technology." The concept seems odd to modern ears, but so it goes after 300-years of scientific discourse.

Luckily for us, Hooke was obsessive about maintaining his diary. As a biliophile he noted when and where he purchased his works. His diaries have since been published in a number of sources, all held by my local university library. Now comes the hard work of digging out Hooke's own words!
More proposal stuff...

NOTE: this entry is not really for public consumption but I had to back up the text somewhere!

Technical handbooks are an overlooked component of the bibliographic universe. LIS has yet to produce a working theory regarding handbooks. The purpose of this dissertation is to critically explore the technical handbook as a documentary form. The underlying thesis of this dissertation is that the form and appearance of technical handbooks is not driven by the objective reality of the artifacts they represent, but rather by the social conditions of their production. This articulation of technical handbooks is a contribution to the emerging field of documentation.

My decision to study technical handbooks has emerged both from my own interests and recent movements in LIS discourse. As an engineer, I am quite familiar with technical handbooks; they were a crucial part of both education and professional practice. My experience with handbooks, however, seemed to represent a very different epistemic reality from than the one presented by the extensive research on the production of scientific papers and documents. Authors like Bruno Latour and Karin Knorr-Cetina present the production of scientific articles as a confrontation between various parties to stabilize contrasting notions of what is real or true. Engineering-and technology in general-presents very different ideals. Truth isn't as important as functionality. This epistemological difference must transfer to documentary forms.

The second factor in my decision to study technical handbooks comes from the recent movement towards documentation as a field of study. While the term "documentation" has been interpreted in various ways in the recent past, the important consideration is a focus on realism. LIS discourse in general has turned to the use of various constructs to explore the field. Some of these constructs have dubious ontological status. As demonstrated by Frohmann xxx, even "information" may be suspect as a basis for study. In response, there has been a call to refocus our attention to those things solidly within the ken of LIS: collections, classification systems, and-most importantly-documents. Xxx Hjorland's articulation of 11 things. Throughout my academic work I have felt a growing unease with the methodologies and theoretical approaches used in LIS. My own could better be described as anthropology, sociology, or political science. Paying attention to documents represents a way of returning to core LIS principals.

Although I focus on specific documents thereby introducing a realist object of study, I adopt a framework rooted in social epistemology. Xxx MORE RESEARH ON SHERA AND SOCIAL EPISTEMOLOGY.

Xxx

One of the problems with studying a documentary from as pedestrian as technical handbooks is making them sufficiently strange enough to study. Xxx Foucault? De Certeau? Geertz? Need to ground the study in something that is truly strange. Complicated by lack of background. The letters of the authors aren't maintained, etc.

Xxx

Chasm of technical handbooks… there is no existing corpus of work devoted to the genre. Like an open crevasse. Ideally we want to go everywhere and do everything. My goal is to throw that first rope across at a narrow point.

Xxx

Type of documentary forms that have been studied i.e., Yates, or Work Place Studies.

xxx

In my investigation of these two eras of technical handbooks, I pose three specific questions:

1. How and images used in technical handbooks?
2. How is the overall structure and order of technical handbooks determined?
3. How to text and image interact in technical handbooks?

Monday, May 23, 2005

Where does Besson live?

I wanted to put together a brief overview of the extant copies of Besson and Ramelli's work:

Author: Jacques Besson, Daphinois
Title: Instrumentorum et machinarum, quas Iacobus Bessonus Delphinas
Year: 1569

Publishing Info: Orleans? SN
Libraries: EU UNIV OF OXFORD EQO

DC SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION SMI

EU CAMBRIDGE UNIV CUD




Author: Jacques Besson, Daphinois
Title: Theatrvm instrvmentorvm et machinarum
Year: 1578

Publishing Info: Lvgdvni, Apud Barth. Vincentium
Libraries: AS TOKAI UNIV LIBR TOK

CA UNIV OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES CLU

CA CLAREMONT COL HDC

CA STANFORD UNIV LIBR STF

CT YALE UNIV LIBR YUS

DC SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION SMI

DE UNIV OF DELAWARE DLM

EU CAMBRIDGE UNIV CUD

EU BIBLIO CENT DU MUS NAT HIST NATURELLE FHN

EU UNIVERSITE LOUIS PASTEUR STRASBOURG FUF

EU NATIONAL LIBR OF WALES NLW

EU GLASGOW UNIV LIBR QCL

EU UNIV LOUIS PASTEUR, RCON PROJ ZT8

EU BIBLIOTHEQUE CENT DU MUS NAT D'HIST NAT ZW9

EU NIEDERSACHSISCHE STAATS-UND UNIV ZXW

IA IOWA STATE UNIV IWA

IL UNIV OF CHICAGO CGU

IL NEWBERRY LIBR IBV

IL UNIV OF ILLINOIS UIU

IN PURDUE UNIV IPL

MA HARVARD UNIV, HOUGHTON LIBR HHG

MA MASSACHUSETTS INST OF TECH MYG

MO LINDA HALL LIBR LHL

MO UNIV OF MISSOURI, COLUMBIA MUU

NY CORNELL UNIV COO

NY NEW YORK PUB LIBR RES LIBR NYP

NY COLUMBIA UNIV ZCU

OH CLEVELAND PUB LIBR CLE

PA LEHIGH UNIV LYU

TX TEXAS A&M UNIV TXA

VA MARINERS MUS LIBR, THE VO3

ZZ DIBAM BIBLIOTECA NACIONAL DE CHILE DIBAM




Author: Jacques Besson, Daphinois
Title: Theatre des instrumen mathematiques and mechaniques
Year: 1579

Publishing Info: A Lyon, : Par Barthelemy Vincent (French)
Libraries: CA UNIV OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO CUS

MA HARVARD UNIV, HOUGHTON LIBR HHG

EU CAMBRIDGE UNIV CUD




Author: Jacques Besson, Dauphinois
Title: Il theatro de gl'instrumenti & machine
Year: 1582

Publishing Info: Lione : Barth. Vincenti (Italian)
Libraries: CA UNIV OF CALIFORNIA, BANCROFT LIBR, ARL RQE

CA UNIV OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY CUY

CO DENVER PUB LIBR DPL

CT YALE UNIV LIBR YUS

DC SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION SMI

EU UNIV OF OXFORD EQO

GA GEORGIA INST OF TECH GAT

IL UNIV OF CHICAGO CGU

IN INDIANA UNIV IUL

MA BURNDY LIBR BUD

MA HARVARD UNIV, HOUGHTON LIBR HHG

NC UNIV OF N CAROLINA, CHAPEL HILL NOC

OR OREGON STATE UNIV, CORVALLIS ORE

PA UNIV OF PITTSBURGH PIT

TX SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIV, DEGOLYER LIBR FKS

ZZ DIBAM BIBLIOTECA NACIONAL DE CHILE DIBAM




Author: Jacques Besson, Dauphinois
Title: Theatrum instrumentorum et machinarum Iacobi Bessoni Delphinatis, mathematici ingeniosissimi
Year: 1582

Publishing Info: Lugduni : Apud. Barth. Vincent
Libraries: CA UNIV OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES CLU

DC SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION SMI

EU CAMBRIDGE UNIV CUD

EU WELLCOME INST FOR THE HIST OF MED, RCON EMW

GA INSTITUTE OF PAPER SCI & TECH WQR

MA HARVARD UNIV, HOUGHTON LIBR HHG

MI UNIV OF MICHIGAN LIBR EYM

MO LINDA HALL LIBR LHL

NJ PRINCETON UNIV PUL

NY NEW YORK PUB LIBR RES LIBR NYP

OH KENT STATE UNIV KSU

RI BROWN UNIV RBN




Author: Agostino Ramelli
Title: Le diverse et artificiose machine del capitano Agostino Ramelli
Year: 1588

Publishing Info: A Parigi : In casa del'autore
Libraries: AZ UNIV OF ARIZONA AZU

CA UNIV OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY CUY

CA UNIV OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES CLU

DC SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION SMI

DE UNIV OF DELAWARE DLM

EU NATIONAL ART LIBR VICTORIA & ALBERT MUS AVA

EU NIEDERSACHSISCHE STAATS-UND UNIV ZXW

EU WELLCOME INST FOR THE HIST OF MED, RCON EMW

IA IOWA STATE UNIV IWA

IA UNIV OF IOWA LIBR NUI

IL UNIV OF CHICAGO CGU

IN PURDUE UNIV IPL

KS UNIV OF KS ARCH/MSS/RARE BOOKS/REGL HIST KFS

LA TULANE UNIV LRU

MA BURNDY LIBR BUD

MA HARVARD UNIV, HOUGHTON LIBR HHG

MD US NAVAL ACAD UNA

MI UNIV OF MICHIGAN LIBR EYM

MO LINDA HALL LIBR LHL

NY NEW YORK PUB LIBR RES LIBR NYP

NY UNIV CLUB LIBR XT3

OK UNIV OF OKLAHOMA OKU

PA LEHIGH UNIV LYU

PA SWARTHMORE COL PSC

PA UNIV OF PENNSYLVANIA PAU

TX SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIV, DEGOLYER LIBR FKS

TX UNIV OF TEXAS, AUSTIN, HARRY RANSOM HRH

WI UNIV OF WISCONSIN, MADISON, GEN LIBR SYS GZM




Author: Jacques Besson, Dauphinois
Title: Theatre des instrvmens mathematiqves et mechaniqves
Year: 1594

Publishing Info: Genève, I. Chouët & I. de Laon
Libraries: DC SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION SMI

EU BIBLIO CENT DU MUS NAT HIST NATURELLE FHN

EU BIBLIOTHEQUE CENT DU MUS NAT D'HIST NAT ZW9

MA BURNDY LIBR BUD

MA HARVARD UNIV, HOUGHTON LIBR HHG

WI UNIV OF WISCONSIN, MADISON, GEN LIBR SYS GZM




Author: Jacques Besson, Dauphinois
Title: Theatrum oder Schawbuch : allerley Werckzeug vnd Rüstungen
Year: 1595

Publishing Info: Getruckt zu Mümbelgart : durch Jacob Foillet (German)
Libraries: DC SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION SMI

EU NATIONAL ART LIBR VICTORIA & ALBERT MUS AVA

EU NATIONAL ART LIBR VAU

EU NIEDERSACHSISCHE STAATS-UND UNIV ZXW

NY NEW YORK PUB LIBR RES LIBR NYP




Author: Jacques Besson, Dauphinois
Title: Theatre des instrumens mathematiques et mechaniques
Year: 1596

Publishing Info: Lyon : Par Iaques Chouët
Libraries: CT YALE UNIV LIBR YUS

DC SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION SMI

IL UNIV OF ILLINOIS UIU




Author: Jacques Besson, Dauphinois
Title: Teatro de los instrvmentos y figvras matematicas y mecanicas. Libro muy vtil y necessario para todos estados de personas.
Year: 1602

Publishing Info: En Leon de Francia, for Horacio Cardon
Libraries: DC SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION SMI

EU UNIV OF OXFORD EQO

EU WELLCOME INST FOR THE HIST OF MED, RCON EMW

HI UNIV OF HAWAII AT MANOA HUH

IL UNIV OF CHICAGO CGU

MA BURNDY LIBR BUD

MA HARVARD UNIV, HOUGHTON LIBR HHG




Author: Jacques Besson, Dauphinois
Title: Theatre des instrvmens mathematives et mechaniqves
Year: 1626

Publishing Info: A Geneve, Par I. Chouët (French)
Libraries: NY NEW YORK PUB LIBR RES LIBR NYP




Author: Jacques Besson, Dauphinois
Title: Theatre des instrvmens mathematives et mechaniqves
Year: nd

Publishing Info: A Geneve, Par I. Chouët (French)
Libraries: CA UNIV OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CSL

DC LIBRARY OF CONGRESS LNN

MI UNIV OF MICHIGAN LIBR EYM

OH CASE WESTERN RSV UNIV CWR