Dear Colleagues,
In the Methodology of economics, Mark Blaug wrote :
he was unable to meet the objection of many of his contemporaries that 
the very notion of gravity
acting instantaneously at a distance without any material medium to 
carry the force - ghostly fingers clutching through the void! - is 
utterly metaphysical. (cf. snd edition, p. 6).
Actually Blaug has added several references in footnote 2:
Toulmin, S., and J. Goodfield. 1963. The Fabric of the Heavens. London: 
Penguin Books., pp. 281-2;
Toulmin and Goodfield, 11965. The Architecture of Matter. London: 
Penguin Books, pp. 217-20;
Hanson, N. R. 1965. Patterns of Discovery. Cambridge: Cambridge 
University Press. pp. 90-1;
Losee, J. 1972. A Historical Introduction to the Philosophy of Science. 
London: Oxford University
Press., pp. 90-3
But I could not check any (except Losee). When I read this sentence 
three decades ago, I took  "ghostly fingers" for an allusion to 
Berkeley's Analyst (Criticising "fluxions", Berkeley wrote: May we not 
call them the ghosts of departed quantities?). But working on Smith's 
History of Astronomy, I am afraid I was wrong and Mark Blaug did not 
quote Berkeley at all and could have another author or passage in mind. 
Has anybody a suggestion? (I cannot check Blaug's references myself 
except Losee)
best regards


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