The lack of excellency of Boyle's mechanical philosophy / Alan Chalmers.
Abstract:
'Boyle's considerable scientific successes owed nothing to, and were accomplished independently of, the mechanical hypothesis and, when put under pressure to support his scientific claims, Boyle turned to the results of his experiments rather than to the mechanical philosophy. As a consequence, Boyle's scientific successes did not constitute evidence of his philosophy. Boyle was unable to provide the empirical support for the mechanical philosophy that he himself considered it to be in need of, and his claims to the contrary were without foundation.'
Studies in history and philosophy of science Vol. 24 (1993), p. 541-564