Scientific Methodology in Nineteenth Century Britain
Volume I: Building Philosophical Systems
1st Edition
Published on 25. September 2025
Book
Hardback
238 pages
978-1-032-20490-1 (ISBN)
Description
This collection of primary sources examines scientific methodology in Britain during the long nineteenth century. Perhaps the most striking feature of nineteenth-century works on scientific method is the extent to which they were taken up by authors interested in writing large-scale, systemic works introducing, at one stroke, a philosophy of science, a view of what "good scientific practice" would look like, and investigations of logic, epistemology, and metaphysics. This volume presents the views laid out in the four largest and most important such treatises: Sir John F. W. Herschel's Preliminary Discourse on Natural Philosophy, William Whewell's History of the Inductive Sciences and Philosophy of the Inductive Sciences, and John Stuart Mill's A System of Logic, as well as other contributors to the philosophy of science in this period. This title will be of great interest to students of the history of philosophy and the history of science.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
Postgraduate and Undergraduate Advanced
Dimensions
Height: 240 mm
Width: 161 mm
Thickness: 19 mm
Weight
561 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-032-20490-1 (9781032204901)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
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Other editions
Additional editions
Charles H. Pence
Scientific Methodology in Nineteenth Century Britain
Volume I: Building Philosophical Systems
E-Book
09/2025
Routledge
€73.99
Available for download
Charles H. Pence
Scientific Methodology in Nineteenth Century Britain
Volume I: Building Philosophical Systems
E-Book
09/2025
Routledge
€73.99
Available for download
Person
Dr. Charles H. Pence is Assistant Professor and Director of the Center for the Philosophy of Science and Society (CEFISES) at the Universite catholique de Louvain in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
Content
Volume 1: Building Philosophical Systems
General Introduction
Volume 1 Introduction
Part 1: Setting the Stage
1. Isaac Newton, "Scholium", from Principia Mathematica, tr. Andrew Motte (1803 [1726, 1729 tr.]), pp. 1:6-1:14
2.Isaac Newton, "Queries", from Opticks (1730)
3. Emilie Du Chatelet, "Of Hypothesis", from Foundations of Physics, tr. Isabelle Bour and Judith P. Zinsser (1740, tr. 2009), pp. 147-155
4. Immanuel Kant, "Preface" from Prolegomena and Metaphysical Foundations of Natural Science, tr. Ernest Belfort Bax (1883 [1786]), pp. 137-149
5. Thomas Reid, Essays on the Intellectual Powers of Man (1786), pp. 1:33-1:52
6. Mary Shepherd, Essay Upon the Relation of Cause and Effect (1824), pp. 40-63
Part 2: Sir John F. W. Herschel's Preliminary Discourse
7. John F. W. Herschel, Preliminary Discourse on the Study of Natural Philosophy, 2nd ed. (1851), Chapter I, pp. 13-17; Chapter V, pp. 135-138; Chapter VI, pp. 144-175; Chapter VII, pp. 190-200
8. William Whewell, "[Review of] A Preliminary Discourse on the Study of Natural Philosophy", The Quarterly Review, Vol. 45, No. 90 (1831), pp. 374-391, 398-402
Part 3: William Whewell's History and Philosophy of the Inductive Sciences
9. William Whewell, "Of the Establishment of the Principles of Dynamics", and "Of Certain Characteristics of Scientific Induction", from The Philosophy of the Inductive Sciences, Founded Upon Their History, 2 vols., 2nd ed. (1847), pp. 1:215-1:227, 2:46-2:74
Part 4: John Stuart Mill's System of Logic
10. John Stuart Mill, A System of Logic (1843), "Of Observation and Experiment" and "Of the Four Methods of Experimental Enquiry", pp. 1:437-1:479 and from "Of Demonstration, and Necessary Truths" and "The Same Subject Continued", pp. 1:296-300, 1:311-323, 1:328-330
Part 5: Positivism
11. Auguste Comte, The Positive Philosophy of Auguste Comte, tr. Harriet Martineau (1853 [1830]), pp. 25-38
12. Ernst Mach, "Introductory Remarks: Antimetaphysical", from The Analysis of Sensations, 1st ed., tr. C. M. Williams (1897), pp. 1-26
13. Karl Pearson, The Grammar of Science, 1st ed., (1892), pp. 92-104, 116-121
Bibliography
Index
General Introduction
Volume 1 Introduction
Part 1: Setting the Stage
1. Isaac Newton, "Scholium", from Principia Mathematica, tr. Andrew Motte (1803 [1726, 1729 tr.]), pp. 1:6-1:14
2.Isaac Newton, "Queries", from Opticks (1730)
3. Emilie Du Chatelet, "Of Hypothesis", from Foundations of Physics, tr. Isabelle Bour and Judith P. Zinsser (1740, tr. 2009), pp. 147-155
4. Immanuel Kant, "Preface" from Prolegomena and Metaphysical Foundations of Natural Science, tr. Ernest Belfort Bax (1883 [1786]), pp. 137-149
5. Thomas Reid, Essays on the Intellectual Powers of Man (1786), pp. 1:33-1:52
6. Mary Shepherd, Essay Upon the Relation of Cause and Effect (1824), pp. 40-63
Part 2: Sir John F. W. Herschel's Preliminary Discourse
7. John F. W. Herschel, Preliminary Discourse on the Study of Natural Philosophy, 2nd ed. (1851), Chapter I, pp. 13-17; Chapter V, pp. 135-138; Chapter VI, pp. 144-175; Chapter VII, pp. 190-200
8. William Whewell, "[Review of] A Preliminary Discourse on the Study of Natural Philosophy", The Quarterly Review, Vol. 45, No. 90 (1831), pp. 374-391, 398-402
Part 3: William Whewell's History and Philosophy of the Inductive Sciences
9. William Whewell, "Of the Establishment of the Principles of Dynamics", and "Of Certain Characteristics of Scientific Induction", from The Philosophy of the Inductive Sciences, Founded Upon Their History, 2 vols., 2nd ed. (1847), pp. 1:215-1:227, 2:46-2:74
Part 4: John Stuart Mill's System of Logic
10. John Stuart Mill, A System of Logic (1843), "Of Observation and Experiment" and "Of the Four Methods of Experimental Enquiry", pp. 1:437-1:479 and from "Of Demonstration, and Necessary Truths" and "The Same Subject Continued", pp. 1:296-300, 1:311-323, 1:328-330
Part 5: Positivism
11. Auguste Comte, The Positive Philosophy of Auguste Comte, tr. Harriet Martineau (1853 [1830]), pp. 25-38
12. Ernst Mach, "Introductory Remarks: Antimetaphysical", from The Analysis of Sensations, 1st ed., tr. C. M. Williams (1897), pp. 1-26
13. Karl Pearson, The Grammar of Science, 1st ed., (1892), pp. 92-104, 116-121
Bibliography
Index