John Wilkins

John Wilkins (* 1614 in Fawsley, Northamptonshire, † November 19, 1672 in London) was Bishop of Chester, and a founding member and first secretary of the Royal Society.

Life

Wilkins father was the Oxford goldsmith and watchmaker Walter Wilkins. John was educated at Magdalen College, Oxford, ordained in 1637 in Fawsley and there vicar. Soon he gave up the position and became the chaplain of Lord Saye and Sele, then by Lord Berkeley and later of Prince Charles Louis, nephew of Charles I of England and later Elector Palatine Karl Ludwig I.. He was a supporter of the Republican party in the English Civil War, but he kept always links to leading royalists. In 1648 he was appointed Warden (head ) of Wadham College, Oxford. The required doctorate in theology, he won the end of 1648th With a dispensation he married 1656 Robina Cromwell, sister of Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell. 1659 appointed him his son and successor as Lord Protector Richard Cromwell to the Master of Trinity College, Cambridge. After the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660, he lost this post. To date, he is therefore the only person who has passed a college in both Oxford and Cambridge. In the following years he made ​​his peace with the King Charles II, and in 1662 he was appointed vicar of St. Lawrence Jewry in London, and in 1668 Bishop of Chester.

He was very interested in science and was a founding member and first secretary of the Royal Society. He was due to the popularization of the new heliocentric world view of Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo. Inspired by Tommaso Campanella's Apologia pro Galileo, he released 1638/40 anonymous two volumes, which appeared in Germany as Vertheidigter Copernicus. In one chapter, he examines the possibility to take a trip to the moon inhabited by view at that time. He quotes, proposals of a Domingo Gonsales. This is the novel A Man in the Moone by Francis Godwin. The Copernican views disagreed vehemently Alexander Ross (1591-1654) in The New Planet .... Together with Robert Hooke, he developed technical and scientific apparatus. His Mathematical Magick is the first comprehensive treatise in English.

1641 he published anonymously a treatise entitled Mercury, or The Secret and Swift Messenger. It was a small but comprehensive work on cryptography, which was used by both sides in the English Civil War, eagerly. As a suggestion could have served a work of Francis Godwin again.

The scientists of the 17th century were concerned that the natural language hinders scientific progress because of their inaccuracy. In his most important work Essay towards a Real Character and a Philosophical Language ( London, 1668 ), so he developed a universal philosophical language. He sat down so that the goal of being able to represent all the knowledge in the universe in detail - more precisely than with English or another language was possible. He developed a system of tables and graphic symbols to represent the desired concepts.

Works (selection)

  • The discovery of a world in the moone, or, a discourse tending to prove that ' tis probable there ' may be another habitable world in did planet, London 1638 ( Ebook at Project Gutenberg )
  • A discourse Concerning a new world & another planet ..., London 1640
  • Locust Wilkins, Des fürtrefflichen English bishop to Chester Vertheidigter Copernicus, Or Curioser and thorough Beweiss the Copernican principles. The fact that the moon is an earth, and the earth a planet sey: In Zweyen parts verfasset ...; From English into Teutsche übersetzet by Joh Gabr. Doppelmayr, Leipzig, 1713
  • Mathematical Magick, or, The wonders did june by Performed By mechanichal [sic ] geometry: in two books, Concerning mechanical powers [ and] motions, being one of the most easie, pleasant, useful, and yet most neglected, parts of Mathematicks, not before Treated of in this language, London 1648
  • God Blessed Gedancken About the Dainty order is to feel the bey of providence and government of God in all the unexpected and beschwärlichen coincidences: Allen saddened Hertzen / particularly to these difficult and dreary times überauß comforting / useful and edifying, Originally From Mr. John Wilkins H. Scriptures Doctorn described in the English language. But Anjetzo By Johann Zolli trunk / servants of the churches to Herisau in the high Teutsche translated with all diligence; Basel 1672
  • An essay towards a real character, and a philosophical language, London 1668
  • A discourse Concerning the gift of prayer, London 1674
  • Of the principles and duties of natural religion, 1693
  • The mathematical and philosophical works of the Right Rev. John Wilkins, late lord bishop of Chester: to Which is prefix'd the author 's life, and an account of his works; in two volumes, London, 1802

Evidence

  • Cliff SL Davies: The Family and Connections of John Wilkins, 1614-72. In: Oxoniensia. Belt 69, pp. 93-107 (PDF).
  • Francis Godwin: The man in the moone or A discourse of a voyage thither. Domingo Gonsales. The speedy messenger, London 1638
  • Francis Godwin: Nuncius inanimatus, London 1629
  • Alexander Ross: The new planet no planet: or, the earth no wandring star: except in the wandring heads of Galileans. Here out of the principles of divinity, philosophy, astronomy, reason and sense, the earth 's immobility is asserted; the true sense of Scripture in the point, cleared; the Fathers and philosophers vindicated; divers theologicall and philosophicall points handled, and Copernicus his opinion as erroneous, ridiculous and impious, fully refuted by Alexander Rosse. In answer to a discourse, did the earth 'may be a planet [by J. Wilkins ]. London 1646.
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