Overview

The central theme of this book is an under-studied link between the canon of Francis Bacon's and Isaac Newton's scientific and philosophical thought and Samuel Johnson's critical approach that can be traced in a textual study of his literary works. The interpretive framework adopted here encourages familiarity with the history and philosophy of science, confirming that the history of ideas is an entirely human construct that constitutes an integral part of intellectual history. This further endorses the argument that intermediality can only be of benefit to future research into the richness of Johnson's literary style. As perceived boundaries are crossed between conventionally distinct communication media, the profile of Johnson that emerges is of a writer of passionate intelligence who was able to combine a pragmatic approach to knowledge with flights of imagination as a true artist.

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9781527516038

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Stefka Ritchie received her BA in English Language and Literature from Birmingham City University, UK. On completion of her MPhil thesis ""Samuel Johnson in an Age of Science"" in 2002, she continued with further research on Dr Johnson, keen to explore what was still under-studied, namely his interest in social improvement. This resulted in her PhD thesis, ""Samuel Johnson – promoter of social improvement"", completed at the University of Birmingham (2014). Her publications include Samuel Johnson's Reformist Ideas (2017), and she is currently Honorary Research Fellow at the School of History and Cultures of the University of Birmingham, where she is engaged in post-doctoral research in local history.

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