S3 Ep 6 - Kirsten Walsh on 'Rethinking Isaac Newton through his Archive'

The HPS Podcast - Conversations from History, Philosophy and Social Studies of Science

Today's guest is Dr Kirsten Walsh, a philosophy lecturer at the University of Exeter.

Kirsten’s research primarily focuses on Isaac Newton and his methodology, but she is careful to consider philosophical issues alongside a sensitivity and consideration for historical contexts.
In today’s episode Kirsten gives us a sense of how our historical understanding of Newton has changed over time, and the role various archival practices have played in what knowledge is developed.
Kirsten’s lively discussion gives us a wonderful insight into the detailed, everyday practices of Newton, but also of the archivists who decide what records are to be kept, and the historians who interrogate those documents in varying ways.
A transcript of the interview can be found here: https://www.hpsunimelb.org/post/s3-ep-6-kirsten-walsh-transcript
Related links

• Website: Philosopher | Kirsten Walsh
• Paper: 'The Unknown Newton' | Kirsten Walsh
• Paper: 'Frameworks for Historians and Philosophers' | Currie & Walsh
• Book: The Newton Papers | Sarah Dry
• Archive: Newton Papers | Cambridge Digital Library
• Website: The Newton Project
• Archive: The Royal Society | Science in the Making
• Article: 'Newton goes digital' | Royal Society

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This podcast would not be possible without the support of School of Historical and Philosophical Studies at the University of Melbourne and the Hansen Little Public Humanities Grant scheme.

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