James Hutton (1726 -1797) as somewhat aspie?

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AardvarkGoodSwimmer
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25 Jan 2011, 12:47 pm

The Man Who Found Time: James Hutton and the Discoverty of the Earth's Antiquity, Jack Repcheck, New York: Perseus Publishing (Basic Books), 2003.

pages 126-127:
“ . . . Because Hutton had no worries or obligations, his day was his own to do with as he pleased. According to Playfair, James Hutton’s consistent daily habits allowed him to remain remarkably focused on his geological inquiries, which now completely dominated his thoughts. He was a late sleeper, but once out of bed he went directly to his study and began working. He ate his small midday meal quickly and alone. After eating, he would return to his studies for a few more hours, and then go for a long walk, often along the paths up and down Arthur’s Seat, weather permitting. He read a great deal, primarily natural histories and travelogues. These were used to augment his own observations and verify his theories. He spent every evening with friends, either at home or at a tavern: "No professional, and rarely any domestic arrangement, interrupted this uniform course of life, so that his time was wholly divided between the pursuits of science and the conversation of his friends."

“Most of Hutton’s companions were other natural philosophers. But this was not just any collection of academics. Rather, the scholars who were part of James Hutton’s circle in Edinburgh were so freethinking, so forward looking, so productive, and so prolific that collectively history remembers them as members of the Scottish Enlightenment. It was the environment these thinkers created—noted for constant personal interaction and the debate of new ideas—and the specific teachings that they shared that helped Hutton take what was a flash of insight formed at Slighhouses and turn it into something far more complete. The Scottish Enlightenment essentially served as the incubator for Hutton’s nascent idea and gave it the support and protection it needed to mature as a fully realized, rigorous, and robust theory. The scholars of the Enlightenment would also create the institution through which Hutton would announce his theory to the world in 1785. . . ”

page 130:
“ . . . Based on the observations left by those who interacted with Hutton after he moved back to Edinburgh, the doctor-turned-farmer-turned natural philosopher must have been regarded as a curiosity by those who encountered him. As one mineralogist wrote to another after meeting Hutton during a visit to Edinburgh, “Dr. Hutton is the oddity you described, but a mighty good sort of man.” Just returned from his farm in Borders, surrounded by rocks and chemicals in his overcrowded flat, he would have been hard to take seriously. Even his attire was off; he was described as being careless in what he wore, and “often found in direct collision” with the accepted fashions. But not Joseph Black. An internationally known scientist before the end of the 1750s, probably the brightest of the many stars at the University of Edinburgh, and connected to every prominent citizen in the city, Black was the very essence of an insider. In fact, one historian of the period calls Black the eminence grise of the period. Black quickly realized the unique talents possessed by Hutton, and if Black said he was good company, then just about everyone else in Edinburgh soon felt the same way. . . ”

Pages 132-133:
“ . . . In 1771, Black wrote to James Watt, “I wish I could give you a dose now and then of my friend Hutton’s company, it would do you a world of good.” They would remain the closest of friends for the rest of their lives. Adam Ferguson, Black’s comtemporary biographer, wrote that Black’s close friends were Cullen, Watt, Hume, Smith, Monro, and Clerk of Eldin, but that

at the head of either list, however, in respect to Black’s habits of intimacy, ought, perhaps, to have been placed James Hutton, who made up in physical speculation all that was wanting in any of the others. It may be difficult to say, whether the characters of Black and Hutton, so often mentioned together, were most to be remarked for resemblance or contrast. . . . Black was serious, but not morose; Hutton playful, but not petulant. The one never cracked a joke, the other never uttered a sarcasm. Black was always on solid ground. . . . Hutton, whether for pleasantry or serious reflection, could be in the air. [quote from Ferguson]

“It appears that they went to work on Hutton’s mineralogical research without delay, chemistry now being the key too through which Hutton pursued his inquiries. . . ”



AardvarkGoodSwimmer
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01 Feb 2011, 11:09 pm

Page 15:

“ . . . He often seemed to lose sight of himself, making unusual faces and movements when he became excited: “The fire of his expression on such occasions, and the animation of his countenance and manner, are not to be described; they were always seen with great delight by those who could enter into his sentiments, and often with great astonishment by those who could not.” This passion was especially apparent when he was engaged in conversation, speaking in his broad Scots accent, about some topic that interested him. And it seemed that nearly every topic did interest him. Despite his quirks, his numerous friends were devoted to him, and they recognized that he was a serious and able scholar. . . ”



CockneyRebel
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02 Feb 2011, 1:13 am

I've heard of this guy and he fits the description.


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