Het materiebegrip bij Buys Ballot

Abstract

SUMMARY: The concept of matter in the work of Buys Ballot. In this paper the dynamico-atomistical concept of matter of the Dutch scientist C.H.D. Buys Ballot (1817-1890), chiefly known as founder of meteorology as a science, will be discussed. Buys Ballot published his ideas on matter in his «Schets eener physiologie van het onbewerktuigde rijk der natuur», which appeared in 1849. Analysis of his publications shows clearly that Buys Ballot was very interested in philosophical reflections during his whole life. He was strongly influenced by his teacher in mathematics, logic metaphysics and moral philosophy J.F.L. Schroder (1774-1845), who undoubtly stimulated Buys Ballot in his philosophical interest. The philosopher C.W. Opzoomer (1821-1892) brought Buys Ballot under the influence of the philosophical ideas of K.C.F. Krause (1781-1832). Unlike the majority of German scientists no philosophical reasons led Buys Ballot to his dynamico-atomistical ideas. It was rather Laplace's work, which brought him to his concept of matter, in which however his colleagues in the Netherlands and abroad were hardly interested.