#ladyranelagh — Public Fediverse posts

31 Dec: #RobertBoyle died in the early hours of 31st December 1691 (often given as 30th Dec).

Chemist (encouraged by his sister #LadyRanelagh), famous for Boyle's Law (volume of a gas decreases with increasing pressure & vice versa).

A key figure in the development of the #NewPhilosophy (#science), making experiment central and espousing a mechanistic theory of matter.

#SEP: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/boyle/

#DIB bio: https://www.dib.ie/biography/boyle-robert-a0858

Omg: https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Shannon_Portrait_of_the_Hon_Robert_Boyle.jpg

#IrishPhilosophyOTD

Anne Finch was born #OTD 1631. She was married to Edward Conway, later (in 1755) the 3rd Viscount Conway (English) and 3rd Viscount Killultagh (Irish).

#AnneConway was never in Ireland but she had Irish connections: she corresponded with philosophers #RobertBoyle and #DorothyMoore (and possibly #LadyRanelagh).

She also knew #JeremyTaylor. Her husband brought Taylor to Portmore Co. Antrim in 1658, probably to protect him.

https://www.irishphilosophy.com/2016/12/14/anne-conway-and-ireland/

#IrishPhilosophyOTD

Among the many notable people #LadyRanelagh hosted in London was the healer Valentine Greatrakes (already known to her brother Roger Boyle, as his neighbour).

Both she and her brother #RobertBoyle were interested in the debate around Greatrakes ability (which failed to relieve the suffering of #MaryConway). A pamphlet on Greatrakes was dedicated to Robert Boyle, arguing the former's ability could be explained both naturally & miraculously. (DiMeo, pp. 146-7)

Greatrakes died #otd 1683.