CHAPTER V 



THE CLASSICAL AND THE NEW 

 MECHANICS 



Mathematics, quae philosophiam naturalem terminate, non 

 generate aut procreare. BACON. 



So far the hypothetical method has been discussed 

 in its broader aspects. It is my purpose now to out- 

 line its effect on science and on men of science by con- 

 sidering certain special cases. I know of no better 

 way to point out the influence of this method on sci- 

 ence than to contrast the classical mechanics, founded 

 on the work of Galileo, Descartes, and Newton, and 

 developed in accordance with the abstractive or real- 

 istic method, with the new mechanics which is based 

 on electricity as a substance and on electro-dynamic 

 energy, and which is pronouncedly speculative in char- 

 acter. 



All phenomena of a mechanical nature can be re- 

 duced ultimately to modifications of inertia, velocity, 

 momentum, and energy. Theories of mechanical ac- 

 tion have, in addition, this common property; they 

 begin with the postulate of an entity which possesses 

 inertia and velocity. Various names have been at- 



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