In June of 1752, Benjamin Franklin flew a kite attached to a key in order to see if the lightning would transmit its power through a metal object, a key. If it did so, he reasoned, it would behave as electricity does, demonstrating that lightning is in fact electrical in nature, a fact that was unknown at the time. In which of the following was he engaged?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Benjamin Franklin was engaged in abstract reasoning, as he was using his knowledge and hypotheses to conduct an experiment and test a scientific theory about electricity and lightning. He was not focused on cultural or normative behaviours, nor was he using the sociological imagination to understand social phenomena.

In June of 1752, Benjamin Franklin Flew a Kite Attached