How did lenses making develop historically?
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At some point in any scientific endeavor it becomes necessary to bring philosophy into contact with the real world. The tools for doing this are the scientific instruments that can be used to perform critical experiments. These instruments are tangible hardware, not abstract thought. The theoretician is thus, sooner or later, at the mercy of the instrument maker.
In the case of astronomy, instrumentation has come to mean better and bigger telescopes. Today, the instrument makers include the thousands who contributed to the Hubble space telescope and the thousands more who are working on the Webb telescope. In the early days, the astronomer depended on the craftsmen who fabricated the astrolabes that gave numerical precision to naked-eye observations.
A clean break in the path between the naked eyeball and the present-day satellite-borne engineering marvels occurred in the 17th century. It was more of a change in paradigm than anything that will ever be revealed by satellites, and the hardware that did it was a few grams of glass- wielded with genius by Galileo Galilei.
In 1609, Galileo published the results of observations he had made using a primitive three-power telescope. At a stroke, he removed man from his previous place at the center of the universe; astronomy left the realm of superstition and became a real science. And the revolution was sparked by a few crude lenses fabricated with tools made in a renaissance machine shop. Manufacturing technology redrew our view of the universe.
In the case of astronomy, instrumentation has come to mean better and bigger telescopes. Today, the instrument makers include the thousands who contributed to the Hubble space telescope and the thousands more who are working on the Webb telescope. In the early days, the astronomer depended on the craftsmen who fabricated the astrolabes that gave numerical precision to naked-eye observations.
A clean break in the path between the naked eyeball and the present-day satellite-borne engineering marvels occurred in the 17th century. It was more of a change in paradigm than anything that will ever be revealed by satellites, and the hardware that did it was a few grams of glass- wielded with genius by Galileo Galilei.
In 1609, Galileo published the results of observations he had made using a primitive three-power telescope. At a stroke, he removed man from his previous place at the center of the universe; astronomy left the realm of superstition and became a real science. And the revolution was sparked by a few crude lenses fabricated with tools made in a renaissance machine shop. Manufacturing technology redrew our view of the universe.
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