Talk:Michael Faraday

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Contents

[edit] Misc

Is this a typo, or is there something really neat about a 'nbote' that I don't know about? Hey - it's a science article and I'm an art historian, but I *tend* to understand these things up to about 1900.

'After he sent Humphrey Davy a sample of nbote that he had made'

No, It's note. I actually typed that line ages back, and the typo slipped through. - look at the keyboard... -- {{Malcolm Farmer]]


Don't be silly! There is no such verb as 'to apprentice'.

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i seem to remember that faraday was a 'mathematical illiterate' which was mentioned to me by some professors at one time or another to teach, i suppose, that knowledge is not limited to the way it is taught from a textbook. perhaps this could be researched and added, if true.

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I added a note to that effect, based on Silvanus Thompson, “Michael Faraday, His Life and Work”, 1901, reprinted 2005, which says "he who had never had any schooling beyond the common school of his parish had not advanced beyond the simplest algebra in his mastery over symbolic reasoning. Several times in his :”Experimental Researches” he deplores what he termed “my imperfect mathematical knowledge.” …Certainly it is that he went through the whole of his magnificent researches without once using even a sine or cosine, or anything more recondite than the simple rule- of -three.”" The biography by Hamilton, 2002, agrees, saying "despite his great talent for sciences, mathematics always evaded him (p28).” and "P132” ..Faraday had no real talent for mathematics”. Part of the problem is that he did not receive an advanced education as a young man, but there likely was a lack of aptitude for advanced mathematics. He expressed his regret for his limited math in his "Experimental Researches," and he ceretainly cannot be accused of intellectual laziness. I think he would have mastered algebra trigonometry and calculus had he been able, since he learned many complex subjects. Yet he out-theorized his mathematical superiors such as Gauss in his researches on electromagnetism, and devised laws of electromagnetics which Maxwell said agreed completely with his own mathematical laws. He may have been dyslexic, and used a mental picture or physical reasoning, like Edison. Edison 22:40, 8 May 2006 (UTC)


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The phrase 'mathematical illiterate' seems to carry a negative connotation, although your teacher probably did not intend it that way, that is probably not appropriate, although the point about textbooks is well made. It is unlikely to be literally true. He seems to have a good grasp of geometry, for instance. Faraday's experimental work was outstanding, and this may obscure some of the important abstractions that he pioneered, such as lines of force. Apparently, one of his great gifts was an ability to convey important concepts in clear terms to laymen. He was also embedded in a very strong class system, and he probably found it advantageous to play to the prevailing predjudices that existed. Richard Feynman comes to mind as a possible modern exemplar of these traits.

Could somebody just write a summary of What Faraday did in his life that was important. Thank You.

Says here, "he lacked a good background in mathematics." 'Here' being "The 100" by Michael H. Hart. Brutannica 01:41, 20 Jul 2004 (UTC)

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The second sentence in the paragraph beginning with "In 1845" seems way too complex a sentence for an article of this nature. Also, why isn't there anything in here about the Bunsen burner when it's mentioned in the first sentence?

I also find it odd no one mentioned much about his chemistry work... it could probably use more about that from someone more adept at chemistry than I am. Brutannica 01:30, 21 Jul 2004 (UTC)

According to an informal rule concocted by Dandrake at the Galileo Galilei talk page, someone needs to back up the Bunsen burner reference in the intro or delete it. I don't want to delete it, so can ANYONE WHO'S READING THIS PLEASE TAKE NOTE? Brutannica 03:15, 9 Sep 2004 (UTC)

--- It is misleading to call electricity an energy source. Its only a source at the point of delivery. Its a means of transmitting energy from a true source to another point. I have changed this wording . Lumos3 13:09, 4 Feb 2005 (UTC)


[edit] Christmas Lectures

Does anybody know, when the first Christmas lecture was held? Thanks in Advance, --Wendelin 16:42, 10 November 2005 (UTC)

I read this in a book (ISBN 1400060168) but I later returned the book to the library. You might want to check out a copy from your local library and skim through to see if you can find it. That book is, in my opinion, the most comprehensive book available on Faraday. You will find it, guaranteed. — MATHWIZ2020 TALK | CONTRIBS 18:44, 10 November 2005 (UTC)


1825, I believe. See Royal Institution Christmas Lectures. SimonMenashy 04:16, 22 December 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Non Trivial dates

The manual of style does not intend that there should be no linking of dates. Only to avoid linking non trivial ones. 1821 was the year that Faraday first built devices which converted electricity to motion. In 1831 he discovered electromagnetic induction. These dates are not trivial. The reader deserves to be able to see the wider political events taking place in those years to be able to place them in an historical context. They must be linked to do this. Lumos3 20:07, 26 December 2005 (UTC)

OK. Sounds convincing. Sillybilly 02:58, 27 December 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Plagiarism

This paragraph:

At this stage, there is also evidence to suggest that Davy may have been trying to slow Faraday’s rise as a scientist. In 1825, for instance, Davy set him onto optical glass experiments, which progressed for six years with no great results. It was not until Davy's death, in 1829, that Faraday stopped these fruitless tasks and moved on to endeavors that were more worthwhile.

appears to have been lifted direct from the BBC History "Historic Figures" bio of Faraday - or is it the other way around?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/faraday_michael.shtml

Mikedash 15:48, 5 April 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Criticism of the Wikipedia article on Michael Faraday

Someone who is more familiar with Michael Faraday than I might want to look at the criticisms of the Wikipedia article on Michael Faraday in this blog that I stumbled upon today. 4.232.105.80 09:16, 18 April 2006 (UTC)

Here's a better link. I wrote a comment and it is now "awaiting moderation." Hope it works! --M@thwiz2020 23:12, 18 April 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Buried in Westminster Abbey?

According to the Royal Institution of Great Britain's website, Faraday was not buried at Westminster Abbey. Even Wikipedia's own article on Westminster Abbey doesn't list him as interred there. Does anyone have any knowledge to refute this, or should it be changed? —Fenoxielo 20:28, 29 May 2006 (UTC)

You are correct, he was not buried in Westminster. --M@thwiz2020 19:54, 30 May 2006 (UTC)
I removed that bit. —Fenoxielo 01:02, 6 June 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Bank note

Is it just me, or is the following passage vaguely incomprehensible?

His picture was printed on British £20 banknotes from 1991 until 2001[6]. Faraday was the first, and most famous, holder of this position to which he was appointed for life.

qp10qp 13:53, 3 July 2006 (UTC) qp10qp 13:57, 3 July 2006 (UTC)

I have moved the nonsense part It related to his post as Fullerian Professor of Chemistry . Lumos3 23:00, 3 July 2006 (UTC)


Anon User:81.132.24.237 Talk contributions has deleted the bank note image with the comment "- Under section 18(1) of the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981 it is a criminal offence for any person, without the prior consent in writing of the Bank of England, to reproduce on) " The Pound sterling article uses only images marked "cancelled" so there might be a point here. I have delayed restoring it until we discuss the situation. See Reproducing Banknotes at the Bank of England websiteLumos3 12:20, 5 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Cornish

Quote: Faraday attended lectures by the eminent English (Cornish) chemist and physicist Humphry Davy of the Royal Institution and Royal Society,

Is the claiming here of Davy for Cornwall some sort of Mebyon Kernow stunt? Why do we need to know he's cornish and "NOT" English here, when he has his own article? --81.105.251.160 17:52, 8 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Weasel

I thought editors were supposed to avoid weasel words such as "Some historians of science consider Faraday to be the best experimentalist ever." It is my understandind that we are to identify specifically who makes such claims and provide evidence. Maybe I'm being pedantic. 129.15.127.254 20:58, 17 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Cultural depictions of Michael Faraday

I've started an approach that may apply to Wikipedia's Core Biography articles: creating a branching list page based on in popular culture information. I started that last year while I raised Joan of Arc to featured article when I created Cultural depictions of Joan of Arc, which has become a featured list. Recently I also created Cultural depictions of Alexander the Great out of material that had been deleted from the biography article. Since cultural references sometimes get deleted without discussion, I'd like to suggest this approach as a model for the editors here. Regards, Durova 15:26, 18 October 2006 (UTC)

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