John Theophilus Desaguliers

John Theophilus Desaguliers (La Rochelle - suburb of Aytré, March 12th 1683 - London February 29th 1744) is a British scientist mainly known nowadays like one of the founders of the Franc-maçonnerie known as modern. He is also a burning defender and propagator of the ideas of Isaac Newton as well scientific as philosophical and political.

Biography

John Theophilus Desaguliers is the son of a Pasteur Huguenot taken refuge in England in 1687 following the revocation of the edict of Nantes (it thus would have left the France hidden in a wine barrel, or a linen basket following certain authors). After a short stay with Guernesey, him and his/her father settle with London. His/her father dies in February 1699.

The study of traditional and the recent applied science of Isaac Newton constitute the greatest part of the education of the Desaguliers young person. He learns at the school from Islington the bases from the Latin , of the Greek , the English and the Histoire. Of 1700 with 1705, rather than to attend courses, it studies under the cane of Mr. Sanders who is used to him as tutor. This one channels the aggressiveness of its young pupil towards the reading of the letters of Cicéron, the comments of César and the work of Virgile, Horace and Livy. While it continues its traditional studies John shows predispositions in the Mathématiques, the Astronomie and the Mécanique.

He studies with the Christ Church College with Oxford of 1705 with 1712 or he supplements his traditional studies and improves in Théologie, Géométrie and mechanics. He receives his degree of graduate in 1710 and becomes Diacre. The same year it occupies the pulpit of experimental philosophy to the Binder Hall College always in Oxford. It obtains its master in 1712 and becomes doctor in laws in 1718.

After its marriage with Joanna Purdey in 1712, Desaguliers goes to London. It meets there Isaac Newton and of another members of the Royal Society. It quickly becomes one of the close relations of Newton. It is the first to perceive the extent of the Newtonian revolution as well for the Physique as for the representation of the world. It develops these ideas and the fact of knowing general public in its Cours of experimental philosophy . It gives readings to Royal Society of which he becomes member in later 1714 then secretary. During the remainder of its career it propagates the scientific ideas of Newton and their technological applications.

This Philosophy naturalist, sometimes called Newtonisme, strongly inspires the Constitutions which it writes with the Pasteur Anderson and which the all recent Big room of London - from which it is elected Large-Master in 1719 - adopts for rule in 1723, thus melting the modern Franc-maçonnerie.

Its publications are abundant in very varied fields: electricity, philosophy, fortifications, displacement of water and other fluids, mechanics, mathematics, automats, telescopes, optics and even ventilation. It is very interested by the practical application new scientific theories of this time, for example in 1717 it goes in Russia or it builds a steam engine being used to actuate the fountains of the tsar.

The ideas of Desaguliers also have an influence on France of the Lumières.

In addition, its research in Mechanical (Friction, Steam engine) and on the electricity (conductivity) leads to the important discovered ones and inventions. Its influence on Benjamin Franklin is determining. He becomes an eminent member of the Royal Society as of 1714.

Desaguliers receives the Médaille Copley three times, in 1734, 1736 and 1741.

He publishes in English his Cours of experimental physics , London, 1719, 2 vol., transl. by the Father Esprit Pezenas, and translated into French several works of Nicolas Gauger, of Jacques Ozanam.

There is a cabin named in its honor with the Temple maconnic of Montreal.

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