The Plurality of Worlds by William Whewell
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"The Plurality of Worlds" by William Whewell is a scientific treatise written in the mid-19th century. The work explores the idea of whether other planets and celestial bodies are inhabited, engaging with contemporary astronomical discoveries and their implications for philosophical and religious thought. The author addresses the potential conflict between scientific knowledge about the vast universe and traditional religious beliefs regarding the uniqueness of Earth in God's creation. The opening of the
essay sets the stage for a philosophical exploration of humanity's place in the universe, referencing the awe inspired by the night sky and the ancient question posed by the Psalmist: “What is man, that you are mindful of him?” Whewell considers modern astronomical knowledge, arguing that the multitude of celestial bodies prod the mind to inquire about possible other forms of life and civilization beyond Earth. He presents a thoughtful examination of how these discoveries might challenge existing religious beliefs, while proposing that an understanding of God's care for creation can expand to include the vastness of the universe. Overall, the beginning establishes a nuanced dialogue between science and religion, setting the stage for a deeper inquiry into humanity's significance in a potentially inhabited cosmos. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Whewell, William, 1794-1866 |
|---|---|
| Author of introduction, etc. | Hitchcock, Edward, 1793-1864 |
| LoC No. | 05021649 |
| Title | The Plurality of Worlds |
| Credits |
Produced by Jonathan Ingram, Stephen H. Sentoff and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 43.2 (College-level). Difficult to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | QB: Science: Astronomy |
| Subject | Plurality of worlds |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 36288 |
| Release Date | May 31, 2011 |
| Last Update | Jan 7, 2021 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 599 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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