Summary of Leviathan and the Air-Pump

Leviathan and the Air-Pump: Hobbes, Boyle, and the Experimental Life is a book by Steven Shapin and Simon Schaffer that explores the philosophical and social implications of new scientific techniques and the competing views of Thomas Hobbes and Robert Boyle in the context of the 17th century scientific revolution. The authors examine the social and political implications of scientific knowledge and consider the relationship between science and the state. They show that the debate between Hobbes and Boyle was as much about political power and social order as it was about science. They discuss the implications of this debate for the modern world and suggest that the history of science can be a valuable source of insight into current debates about the nature and function of science.