Spinoza en Huygens. Een geschakeerde relatie tussen twee fysici

Abstract

Spinoza and Huygens. A variegated relation between two physicists In the history of science there hardly ever is paid attention to the relation between the physicist Christiaan Huygens and the 'philosopher' Benedictus de Spinoza, who lived, however, very close to each other and had many scientific contacts in the early sixties of the seventeenth century. This article does not pretend to give a complete survey of their common features or their interaction. For instance optics and the theory of gravity are left out. After a short characterization of their shared methodology (full mechanism, causal explanation, geometrical method) it presents a collection of quotes by which is shown 1 why Spinoza criticizes Huygens' alternative for Descartes' sixth rule (about percussion of equal bodies, of which one was in rest); 2 that Spinoza's theory about cohesion (individuality) as an effect of pressure by subtle matter in the environment is also present in various texts of Huygens; 3 that both scientists subscribe fully fledged determinism to all kinds of things, human behaviour included, Spinoza in public, but Huygens in private notes; and 4" that their ideas about man in the universe are rather congenial. The work-programmes and conclusions of the two were different in many cases; quite a few principles, however, were shared and enabled them fruitful contacts.