philosopher

An enquiry and attack on the scientific principles of Hobbes, Locke, Spinoza, and Descartes. Almost half of the book is devoted to light and colors, including the phenomenon of the rainbow, with a large chapter on sound. Green dismisses the Cartesian theory of light in favor of Newton's, which he refers to as "the Modern Philosophy."

A superb monograph on the theory, construction and use of a mechanical drawing device to describe ellipses. The author, Georg Friedrich Parrot (1767 – 1852) was a German scientist, the first rector of the Imperial University of Dorpat (University of Tartu), being elected by the University Council consisting of all chaired professors. In this capacity, Parrot skillfully fought for the academic freedom and the self-government of the university, protecting her from the political pressure of Baltic German barons who had been given the right to autonomously govern in the Baltic provinces.