The ancient Greeks believed water was an element, and thinkers continued to see it that way until the 18th century. Then, it was found to be a compound, constructed of hydrogen and oxygen molecules. Who would be credited with the discovery, however, was a dispute that went on for 70 years. Miller from University of NSW.
Discovering Water addresses why the rival claims of long dead natural philosophers so preoccupied a wide range of people in the mid-nineteenth century. The answer to the question 'who was responsible for discovering water was a compound, not an element?' as David Philip Miller demonstrates, lies in understanding the enormous symbolic importance of James Watt and Henry Cavendish in nineteenth-century science and society. More than credit for a particular discovery was at stake here. The varied agendas of the participants in the Victorian water controversy led it to be driven by filial loyalty and nationalism but also, most importantly, by ideological struggles about the nature of science and its relation to technological invention and innovation in British society. At a more general and theoretical level, Discovering Water also provides important insights into conceptions of the nature of discovery as they are debated by modern historians, philosophers and sociologists of science.
'... a highly nuanced, richly textured, and densely documented account... This interesting and enlightening study provides plenty of food for thought and further historical inquiry... another measure of this stimulating study, [is] that while dealing with an important issue in the history of chemistry, it raises significant questions about its historiography.' Annals of Science '... a helpful contextualisation that provides plausible categories that can be used by historians and scientists to understand the motives, ideas, institutions, and sources that shaped Victorian notions of who 'discovered' water.' Ambix '... this is a fascinating addition to the literature on the nature of discovery. Miller brings great clarity to the water debate and provides an impressive sweep of private correspondence that reveals the hidden negotiations, animosities and fears that drove the controversy.' British Journal for the History of Science 'Discovering Water offers many new insights into early Victorian science and the concept of science at the time, as well as stimulating ideas on scientific controversies...' Isis
