Johannes Lulofs als vertegenwoordiger van het newtonianisme in de Republiek

Abstract

Johannes Lulofs, representative of the Dutch Newtonian 'school' Research on Newtonianism in the Dutch Republic has focussed on its first pioneers and instigators, notably W.L 's Gravesande and P. van Musschenbroek. Johannes Lulofs, 's Gravesande's successor at the Leiden chair of physics and in his time a leading scientist, has been nearly completely neglected. The article focuses on Lulofs' earliest career, in order to shed light on the question how Dutch Newtonianism established itself in the wake of the work of 's Gravesande and Musschenbroek. Lulofs' relation to his teachers appears rather complicated, his main teacher being the Utrecht professor Odé, but he must have received his introduction into Newtonian philosophy mainly from Musschenbroek. Translations of works by Keill and Horrebow, which are among Lulofs' first publications, appear to be based upon Musschenbroek's teachings at Utrecht and can be seen as supplementing the latter's printed works. Interestingly, Lulofs, as a student, before he came out in favour of Newtonian ideas, showed a strong interest in physico-theology. In his later works, physico-theological overtones have disappeared (although Lulofs himself remained a very religious man). This suggests that although physico-theology may initially have contributed to a favourable reception of Newton's ideas, Newtonianism made physico-theology superfluous rather than stimulating it.