Week 1: London, the center for collaboration and science
London has been noted as the center of all "sciences, arts, and trades" (Harkness xvi). The claim is very flattering to the city of London, and the high note is well deserved. Vernacular science, which started developing in London during the Elizabethan period, encouraged the transition from theoretical to practical and applicable science, disputes and questioning of nature, and sharing of experiments (xvii). The growth of vernacular science sparked many quests for discoveries and developments of science, and London's urban sensibility allowed for the continuous exchange and spread of ideas (8). Collaboration is key in the development of science, and this key feature of science is apparent in the history of London and its culture.
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Glancing at a map of London, one can notice the abundance of markets, churches, and parks. Walking around London streets, one passes countless coffee houses and pubs. All of these places provide a space for like-minded people to congregate, talk, and share thoughts---and perhaps unlike-minds to dispute current debates. The availability of these facilities made London an ideal place for ideas. In the past, St. Paul's Cathedral served as a place for people to collect information, and the Globe Theatre served as the metropolitan cultural center for people to gather and discuss (Harkness). Coffee houses were popular places of debate. Many of them were situated in the City, where many other activities, such as trade, occurred (Ships). Here, groups, such as the Board of Longitude would discuss the current methods of measuring longitude. Due to the many places allotted in the city for discussion, even if scientific works had not been printed, works would be publicly known by word of mouth and evaluation by peers, promoting the development of science.
In many areas of science, collaborations of experts from various fields is necessary to develop a successful product. In the case of developing a watch that functioned at sea, John Harrison (the designer) sought help from a watchmaker named John Jefferys for the model H4 in the desire to build a smaller, simpler, and more durable device (Ships). Marketplaces, which housed all kinds of experts, would provide connections for people who needed skills of others. Today, it seems the compact layout of the city would allow people to communicate easier and promote collaboration. In our group walk through Soho, we passed by an area which seemed to have housed bridal collections around 1929. Categorized parts of the city such as these would have made it more convenient to find specialists. If experts were scattered around London, as medical practitioners were in the past (about one or two per borough), it also could have benefited collaboration, as practitioners may have been easily accessible to people in their respective boroughs.
Though London was criticized for its "cobbled together nature" and thus its difficulty to govern, the rich and poor contrast as well as the diverse population of foreign immigrants made it the center of debate and the perfect place for scientific development (Harkness). Issues of overcrowding, public health crisis, and civic unrest presented problems to the city. However, the prevalence of the issues would have encouraged dwellers to actively talk about the current issues and take action. The cultural structure of London made it easier to collaborate, thus became the center of all "sciences, arts, and trades".
References:
In many areas of science, collaborations of experts from various fields is necessary to develop a successful product. In the case of developing a watch that functioned at sea, John Harrison (the designer) sought help from a watchmaker named John Jefferys for the model H4 in the desire to build a smaller, simpler, and more durable device (Ships). Marketplaces, which housed all kinds of experts, would provide connections for people who needed skills of others. Today, it seems the compact layout of the city would allow people to communicate easier and promote collaboration. In our group walk through Soho, we passed by an area which seemed to have housed bridal collections around 1929. Categorized parts of the city such as these would have made it more convenient to find specialists. If experts were scattered around London, as medical practitioners were in the past (about one or two per borough), it also could have benefited collaboration, as practitioners may have been easily accessible to people in their respective boroughs.
Though London was criticized for its "cobbled together nature" and thus its difficulty to govern, the rich and poor contrast as well as the diverse population of foreign immigrants made it the center of debate and the perfect place for scientific development (Harkness). Issues of overcrowding, public health crisis, and civic unrest presented problems to the city. However, the prevalence of the issues would have encouraged dwellers to actively talk about the current issues and take action. The cultural structure of London made it easier to collaborate, thus became the center of all "sciences, arts, and trades".
References:
- Harkness, Deborah E. The Jewel House: Elizabethan London and the Scientific Revolution. New Haven: Yale UP, 2007. Print.
- 'Ships, Clocks, and Stars' exhibit at the Royal Observatory