Dr. Bryce Gessell

Keynote Title: The Historical Background and Newtonian Influence of du Châtelet’s “On the Formation of Colors”.

Abstract: The fourth chapter of Émilie du Châtelet’s Essai sur l’optique (1737–1738), “On the Formation of Colors,” provides a rare glimpse into her early engagement with Newtonian science. While drawing heavily on Newton’s Opticks, du Châtelet develops her own account of transparency, opacity, and color, emphasizing attraction as the key principle behind optical phenomena. She applies this idea to refrangibility, reflection, and the colors of opaque bodies, and extends Newton’s “Queries” in original ways. This presentation will explore how her treatment of colors in the Essai reflects du Châtelet’s scientific voice and its importance for understanding her intellectual development.

CV: Bryce Gessell is an associate professor of philosophy at Southern Virginia University. He teaches courses on the history of philosophy and science, applied ethics, and religion. He has written about various topics in the philosophy of science, including Émilie du Châtelet’s Essai sur l’optique and the conceptual foundations of cognitive neuroscience.