The history of science and technology includes a remarkable number of well-known persons who were sustained in their scientific activity through their Quaker convictions. Among them:
What made the Quakers such enthusiasts for science and technology? They were barred from Oxford and Cambridge, and thus from the professions, because they did not adhere to the Church of England. Also, they shared the Puritan fear of the emotions and stayed clear of music and the other arts.
What was left for them to do? For refreshment and recreation they were advised to enjoy nature and some became leading naturalists. And for their livelihoods they discovered emerging activities unrestricted by religious entrance tests--entrepreneurial industrial development and the ever-expanding world of science.
William Penn, Quaker and founder of Pennsylvania, in his Some Fruits of Solitude of 1692 showed how he saw the natural world relating to the inner world and to God. His ...
