''Pseudodoxia Epidemica or Enquiries into very many received tenents and commonly presumed truths'', also known simply as ''Pseudodoxia Epidemica'' or ''Vulgar Errors'', is a work by Thomas Browne challenging and refuting the "vulgar" or common errors and superstitions of his age. It first appeared in 1646 and went through five subsequent editions, the last revision occurring in 1672. The work includes evidence of Browne's adherence to the Baconian method of empirical observation of nature, and was in the vanguard of work-in-progress scientific journalism during the 17th-century

scientific revolution The Scientific Revolution was a series of events that marked the emergence of modern science during the early modern period, when developments in mathematics, physics, astronomy, biology (including human anatomy) and chemistry transforme ...

. Throughout its pages frequent examples of Browne's subtle humour can also be found. Browne's three determinants for obtaining truth were the authority of past scholarly works, the act of reason, and empirical experience. Each of these determinants is employed upon subjects ranging from common folklore to the cosmological. Subjects covered in ''Pseudodoxia Epidemica'' are arranged in accordance to the time-honoured

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ide ...

scale of creation; the learned doctor essaying on the nature of error itself (Book 1), continuing with fallacies in the

mineral In geology and mineralogy, a mineral or mineral species is, broadly speaking, a solid chemical compound with a fairly well-defined chemical composition and a specific crystal structure that occurs naturally in pure form.John P. Rafferty, ed. (2 ...

, vegetable (Book 2), and

animal Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the biological kingdom Animalia. With few exceptions, animals consume organic material, breathe oxygen, are able to move, can reproduce sexually, and go through an ontogenetic stage ...

(Book 3) kingdoms onto errors concerning Man (Book 4), Art (Book 5),

Geography Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth description") is a field of science devoted to the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, an ...

and

History History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...

(Book 6), and finally

Astronomy Astronomy () is a natural science that studies celestial objects and phenomena. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and evolution. Objects of interest include planets, moons, stars, nebulae, g ...

and the Cosmos (Book 7). 'Pseudodoxia_Epidemica'_-frontispiece_to_1658_edition

Popular science

''Pseudodoxia Epidemica'' was a valuable source of information which found itself upon the shelves of many homes in seventeenth century England. Being in the vanguard of the scientific writing, it paved the way for much subsequent popular scientific journalism and began a decline in the belief in mythical creatures. Its science includes many examples of Browne's 'at-first-hand' empiricism as well as early examples of the formulation of scientific hypothesis. The second of ''Pseudodoxia Epidemicas seven books entitled ''Tenets concerning Mineral and Vegetable Bodies'' includes Browne's experiments with static electricity and magnetism — the word ''electricity'' being one of hundreds of neologisms including '' medical'', ''

pathology Pathology is the study of the causes and effects of disease or injury. The word ''pathology'' also refers to the study of disease in general, incorporating a wide range of biology research fields and medical practices. However, when used in ...

'', '' hallucination'', ''

literary Literature is any collection of written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially prose fiction, drama, and poetry. In recent centuries, the definition has expanded to includ ...

'', and ''

computer A computer is a machine that can be programmed to carry out sequences of arithmetic or logical operations ( computation) automatically. Modern digital electronic computers can perform generic sets of operations known as programs. These prog ...

'' contributed by Browne into the vocabulary of the early scientific revolution.

Editions

The popularity of ''Pseudodoxia'' in its day is confirmed by the fact that it went through no fewer than six editions. The first appeared in 1646 during the reign of

Charles I Charles I may refer to: Kings and emperors * Charlemagne (742–814), numbered Charles I in the lists of Holy Roman Emperors and French kings * Charles I of Anjou (1226–1285), also king of Albania, Jerusalem, Naples and Sicily * Charles I of ...

and during the

English Civil War The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians (" Roundheads") and Royalists led by Charles I (" Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of England's governance and issues of r ...

; four during the interregnum, in 1650, 1658 (two), and 1659; and the final edition in 1672, during the reign of Charles II, and when the

was well under way. ''Pseudodoxia'' was subsequently translated and published in French, Dutch, Latin and German throughout the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. The German Christian Cabalist

Christian Knorr von Rosenroth Christian Knorr von Rosenroth (15/16 July 1636 – 4 May 1689) was a German Christian Hebraist and Christian Cabalist born at Alt-Raudten (today Stara Rudna) in Silesia. After having completed his studies in the universities of Wittenberg and L ...

translated the book into German in 1680. File:Browne-1.jpg, alt=, 1646 copy of ''"Pseudodoxia Epidemica,"'' or ''"Vulgar Errors."'' File:Broiwne-3.jpg, alt=, Table of contents page for the 1646 copy of ''"Pseudodoxia Epidemica,"'' or ''"Vulgar Errors."'' File:Browne-4.jpg, alt=, First page of the 1646 copy of ''"Pseudodoxia Epidemica,"'' or ''"Vulgar Errors."''

Evaluation by other writers

Today there is considerable confusion how best to define Sir Thomas Browne's scientific methodology, which is described by E. S. Merton thus: William P. Dunn summarised the ambiguities of Browne's scientific view-point thus: Robert Sencourt succinctly defined Browne's relationship to scientific enquiry as "an instance of a scientific reason, lit up by mysticism, in the Church of England". The 1651 book ''Arcana Microcosmi'', by Alexander Ross, attempted to rebut many of Browne's claims.

Sources

A detailed edition of ''Pseudodoxia Epidemica'' in 2 volumes was published by

Oxford University Press Oxford University Press (OUP) is the university press of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world, and its printing history dates back to the 1480s. Having been officially granted the legal right to print book ...

in 1986, edited and comprehensively annotated by Robin Robbins.

References

External links