"This book is a revised and translated version of Het Boeck der Natuere. Nederlandse geleerden en de wonderen van Gods schepping, 1575-1716, Leiden 2006"--T.p. verso.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Preliminary Material / E. Jorink -- Chapter One. Introduction / E. Jorink -- Chapter Two. The Interpretation Of The Book Of Nature Down To Around 1660 / E. Jorink -- Chapter Three. Comets: The Debate On The ‘Wonders In The Heavens’ / E. Jorink -- Chapter Four. Insects: ‘The Wonders Of God In The Humblest Creatures’ / E. Jorink -- Chapter Five. Collections Of Curiosities: ‘A Book In Which God Has Gloriously Described Himself’ / E. Jorink -- Chapter Six. Books Of Wonders: From Rarity To Regularity / E. Jorink -- Chapter Seven. The Book Of Nature: From Axiom To Metaphor / E. Jorink -- Bibliography / E. Jorink -- Index Of Names / E. Jorink.

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Traditionally, Dutch scientific culture of the Golden Age is regarded as rational, pragmatic, and utilitarian. The role of Christiaan Huygens, Johannes Swammerdam and Antoni van Leeuwenhoek in the so called Scientific Revolution was recognised long ago, as was the fact that the revolutionary philosophy of René Descartes made its first impact in the Netherlands. This book challenges the traditional picture. First, it shows how nature was regarded as a second book of God, next to the Bible. For many, contemplating, investigating, representing and collecting natural objects was a religious activity. Secondly, this book demonstrates that the deconstruction of the old view of nature was partly caused by the pioneering exegetical research conducted in the Dutch Republic, more specifically, the emergence of radical biblical criticism.

Translated from the Dutch.