Abstract

This chapter examines the philosophical views of English philosopher Robert Boyle, outlining his life and character, and describing his views on religion, the natural world, and natural laws. It highlights his lifelong interest in ethics, his uncompromising insistence on the priority of experiment over theory, and his influence on the works of Isaac Newton. The chapter also discusses Boyle's awareness of human frailty in himself and others, and of the weakness of human nature.