Air Johnson

  1. In Johnson’s book The Invention of Air, Johnson explains that Priestley’s introduction to Observations on Air made bold claims in its day. Johnson state’s that religion should fear air pumps and electrical machines because “That the ascendancy of scientific thinking would challenge the explanatory models of religion” (Johnson p. 148). Another thing Johnson also states that Priestley made even bolder claims by declaring the march of scientific progress to political change would be making his own country non immune. In the United States today we have no figure that fits Priestley’s template like he did in his day. Governments and religions should fear air pumps because its invention was crucial in jumpstarting the age of enlightenment.    

2. Johnsons work shed new light on how the climate change and global warming have affected us to where we are at today. That scientific research holds social consequences with people believing in such things as global warming. With new research everyday there will always be social or political consequences I feel like. There’s also a rarity on scientist politicians as there are scientist priest as Johnson explains.