History of scientific ideas

Name: History of scientific ideas
Author: Whewell, William

Whewell, William

Science -- Philosophy

In this undertaking, inevitably somewhat long, and involving
many deep and subtle discussions, I shall take, as a chart
of the country before me, by which my course is to be
guided, the scheme of the sciences which I was led to form
by travelling over the history of each in order[8\1]. Each
of the sciences of which I then narrated the progress,
depends upon several of the Fundamental Ideas of which I
have to speak: some of these Ideas are peculiar to one field
of speculation, others are common to more. A previous
enumeration of Ideas thus collected may serve both to show
the course and limits of this part of our plan, and the
variety of interest which it offers.

[Note 8\1: _History of the Inductive Sciences._]

I shall, then, successively, have to speak Of the Ideas
which are the foundation of Geometry and Arithmetic, (and
which also regulate all sciences depending upon these, as
Astronomy and Mechanics;) namely, the Ideas of _Space_,
_Time_, and _Number_ (Book II.):

Of the Ideas on which the Mechanical Sciences (as Mechanics,
Hydrostatics, Physical Astronomy) more peculiarly rest; the
ideas of _Force_ and _Matter_, or rather the idea of
_Cause_, which is the basis of these (Book III.):

Of the Ideas which the Secondary Mechanical Sciences
(Acoustics, Optics, and Thermotics) involve; namely, the
Ideas of the _Externality_ of objects, and of the _Media_ by
which we perceive their qualities (Book IV.):

Of the Ideas which are the basis of Mechanico-chemical and
Chemical Science; _Polarity_, _Chemical Affinity_, and
_Substance_; and the Idea of _Symmetry_, a necessary part of
the Philosophy of Crystallography (Books V. VI.):

Of the Ideas on which the Classificatory Sciences proceed
(Mineralogy, Botany, and Zoology); namely, {83} the Ideas of
_Resemblance_, and of its gradations, and of _Natural
Affinity_ (Books VII. VIII.):

Finally, of those Ideas on which the Physiological Sciences
are founded; the Ideas of separate Vital Powers, such as
_Assimilation_ and _Irritability_; and the Idea of _Final
Cause_ (Book IX.):

We have, besides these, the Palætiological Sciences, which
proceed mainly on the conception of _Historical Causation_
(Book X.):

It is plain that when we have proceeded so far as this, we
have advanced to the verge of those speculations which have
to do with mind as well as body. The extension of our
philosophy to such a field, if it can be justly so extended,
will be one of the most important results of our researches;
but on that very account we must fully study the lessons
which we learn in those fields of speculation where our
doctrines are most secure, before we venture into a region
where our principles will appear to be more precarious, and
where they are inevitably less precise.

We now proceed to the examination of the above Ideas, and to
such essays towards the philosophy of each Science as this
course of investigation may suggest.



{{85}}
BOOK II.


THE
PHILOSOPHY
OF THE
PURE SCIENCES.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

History of scientific ideasWhewell, William

Philosophy

History of scientific ideas

Whewell, William

Science -- Philosophy

In this undertaking, inevitably somewhat long, and involving
many deep and subtle discussions, I shall take, as a chart
of the country before me, by which my course is to be
guided, the scheme of the sciences which I was led to form
by travelling over the history of each in order[8\1]. Each
of the sciences of which I then narrated the progress,
depends upon several of the Fundamental Ideas of which I
have to speak: some of these Ideas are peculiar to one field
of speculation, others are common to more. A previous
enumeration of Ideas thus collected may serve both to show
the course and limits of this part of our plan, and the
variety of interest which it offers.

[Note 8\1: _History of the Inductive Sciences._]

I shall, then, successively, have to speak Of the Ideas
which are the foundation of Geometry and Arithmetic, (and
which also regulate all sciences depending upon these, as
Astronomy and Mechanics;) namely, the Ideas of _Space_,
_Time_, and _Number_ (Book II.):

Of the Ideas on which the Mechanical Sciences (as Mechanics,
Hydrostatics, Physical Astronomy) more peculiarly rest; the
ideas of _Force_ and _Matter_, or rather the idea of
_Cause_, which is the basis of these (Book III.):

Of the Ideas which the Secondary Mechanical Sciences
(Acoustics, Optics, and Thermotics) involve; namely, the
Ideas of the _Externality_ of objects, and of the _Media_ by
which we perceive their qualities (Book IV.):

Of the Ideas which are the basis of Mechanico-chemical and
Chemical Science; _Polarity_, _Chemical Affinity_, and
_Substance_; and the Idea of _Symmetry_, a necessary part of
the Philosophy of Crystallography (Books V. VI.):

Of the Ideas on which the Classificatory Sciences proceed
(Mineralogy, Botany, and Zoology); namely, {83} the Ideas of
_Resemblance_, and of its gradations, and of _Natural
Affinity_ (Books VII. VIII.):

Finally, of those Ideas on which the Physiological Sciences
are founded; the Ideas of separate Vital Powers, such as
_Assimilation_ and _Irritability_; and the Idea of _Final
Cause_ (Book IX.):

We have, besides these, the Palætiological Sciences, which
proceed mainly on the conception of _Historical Causation_
(Book X.):

It is plain that when we have proceeded so far as this, we
have advanced to the verge of those speculations which have
to do with mind as well as body. The extension of our
philosophy to such a field, if it can be justly so extended,
will be one of the most important results of our researches;
but on that very account we must fully study the lessons
which we learn in those fields of speculation where our
doctrines are most secure, before we venture into a region
where our principles will appear to be more precarious, and
where they are inevitably less precise.

We now proceed to the examination of the above Ideas, and to
such essays towards the philosophy of each Science as this
course of investigation may suggest.



{{85}}
BOOK II.


THE
PHILOSOPHY
OF THE
PURE SCIENCES.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

History of scientific ideas

History of scientific ideas

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