Description
Book SynopsisExplores the profound relationship between science and government to present an understanding of modern state formation. Beginning with the experimental science of Robert Boyle in 17th-century England, this study develops the concept of engine science to capture the centrality of engineering practices and technologies in the mechanical philosophy.
Trade Review"Patrick Carroll presents a new explanation of what is 'modern' about the modern state. He provides, and lays out in rich detail, the historical development of a modern state rooted in a new 'engineering culture' that emerged in the 17th-century, and demonstrates the inextricable connection between modern science and the origins of the modern state." - Jack A. Goldstone, author of Revolution and Rebellion in the Early Modern World "A great book - carefully documented, insightful, and very well written. This is one of the most exciting works I have come across in recent years. In addition to being a very readable history of British colonial projects in Ireland from the 17th through the 19th centuries, it has implications for understanding post-colonial occupations and nation-building ventures today." - Michael E. Lynch, Director of Science and Technology Studies, Cornell University"
Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Science, Culture, and Modern State Formation: Theory and Analysis 2. Understanding Engine Science: Robert Boyle and the New Experimentalism 3. Engineering Culture and the Civilizing Mission: William Petty and the New Science in Ireland 4. Engineering the Data State: Scopes, Meters, and Graphs 5. Bio-population: The Science of Policing Natural and Political Bodies 6. Engineering Ireland: The Material Designs of Modern Statecraft Conclusion Notes Bibliograpny Index
