“His versatility, eagerness, activity, and humanity; the immense range of his curiosity, in all things physical, moral, or social; his place in science, in theology, in philosophy, and in politics; his peculiar relation to the [French] Revolution, and the pathetic story of his unmerited sufferings, may make him the hero of the eighteenth century.”—Frederic Harrison, philosopher.
WHAT did Joseph Priestley accomplish that was so
noteworthy? His discoveries and writings have influenced the way people
view the role of government, the nature of God, and even the air we
breathe.
Whether writing about science or religion,
Priestley rejected theories and tradition in favor of facts and truth.
Let us see how.
HIS SEARCH FOR TRUTH IN SCIENCE
After meeting American scientist Benjamin Franklin in 1765, Joseph Priestley—who had only dabbled in science as a hobby—began
to conduct experiments with electricity. The following year, his fellow
scientists were so impressed by his discoveries that they elected him
to the prestigious Royal Society of London.
Next, Priestley turned his attention to chemistry.
Within a short time, he discovered several new gases, including ammonia
and nitrous oxide (laughing gas). He even infused water with carbon
dioxide, thus inventing carbonated water.
In 1774, while experimenting in southern England,
Priestley isolated a remarkable gas that made candles burn more
brightly. Later, he placed two ounces (60 ml) of that gas in a glass
along with a mouse. The mouse survived
twice as long as it would have in a glass filled with regular air!
Priestley himself inhaled the gas, and he said that he “felt peculiarly
light and easy for some time afterwards.”
Joseph Priestley had discovered oxygen. *
Yet, he called the gas dephlogisticated air, assuming that he had
discovered ordinary air that lacked phlogiston, a hypothetical substance
that was thought to hinder combustion. Priestley’s conclusion was
wrong, but many still consider this discovery to be “the very pinnacle
of his lifework.”
HIS SEARCH FOR TRUTH IN RELIGION
Just as Priestley believed that preconceived
theories hindered scientific truth, so he concluded that tradition and
dogma hindered religious truth. Ironically, during his lifelong search
for Bible knowledge, Priestley adopted some ideas that were in conflict
with what the Bible really teaches. For instance, at one point he did
not believe that the Bible was miraculously inspired by God. He also
rejected the Bible’s teaching of Jesus’ prehuman existence.
“If science is the pursuit of truth, then Priestley was a true scientist.”—Katherine Cullen, biologist
On the other hand, Priestley exposed false
religious teachings that were, and are to this day, widely believed by
mainstream religions. He wrote that the truth taught by Jesus and his
followers was later corrupted by falsehoods—including the false
teaching of the Trinity, the erroneous belief that the soul is immortal,
and the worship of images, which is actually condemned in the Bible.
Priestley’s religious ideas and his support of
the American and French revolutions incensed his fellow Englishmen. In
1791, a mob destroyed his home and laboratory, and Priestley eventually
fled to the United States. Although particularly remembered for his
scientific discoveries, Joseph Priestley believed that learning about
God and His purpose was of “superior dignity and importance.”
