Inventing Temperature

"A fascinating study."--David Knight, British Journal for the History of Science "An interesting, excellent book.... Highly recommended." --CHOICE "Chang is well and deeply read in the philosophy of science and, with his conservative (sensu stricto) bent, is reluctant to discard any promising lines of attack, even if these are not in agreement with one another. Thus the book is thoroughly eclectic, as if designed to consider the invention of temperature serially and in ensemble from every worthwhile perspective. As the author has a generous cast of mind, this means a great number of perspectives. It is in this eclectic generosity of approach, not its spread across history and philosophy and science proper, that Inventing Temperature defies categorization."--Mott Greene,sis "A splendid book of lively historical narratives about experimentalists' work from the 17th to the mid-19th century in solving puzzles about making reliable thermometers..."--Mary Jo Nye, Oregon State University "Inventing Temperature is a terrific book at the intersection of history, philosophy, and science."--Peter Galison, Harvard University "...a wonderful synthesis of the history and philosophy of physics. It combines rich historical detail with philosophical acuity and imagination."--Jeremy Butterfield, Oxford University "Chang's book treats a well-defined and deeply interesting topic with historical thoroughness and philosophical acuity."--R.I.G. Hughes, University of South Carolina "An interesting, and at times fascinating, history of the development of the concept of temperature and the construction of thermometers... Even those who don't have an extensive background in physics will find the book valuable."--Allen Franklin, Physics, University of Colorado