Epistemology & Philosophy of Science· 2016Q2
The Philosophy of the Inductive Sciences, Founded upon their History
- 456citations
- Q2SCImago
- 2016year
Short summary
William Whewell's 1840 treatise, 'The Philosophy of the Inductive Sciences,' argues for an active mind in knowledge acquisition, building on Kant and Bacon.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Key points
- The work emphasizes the active role of the mind in understanding and interpreting nature.
- It builds upon the philosophical foundations laid by Immanuel Kant and Francis Bacon.
- Volume 2 covers the philosophy of biology and palaetiology, and reviews historical views on knowledge.
- The treatise was a significant contribution to Victorian epistemological debates, notably challenged by John Stuart Mill.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
First published in 1840, this two-volume treatise by Cambridge polymath William Whewell (1794–1886) remains significant in the philosophy of science. The work was intended as the 'moral' to his three-volume History of the Inductive Sciences (1837), which is also reissued in this series. Building on philosophical foundations laid by Immanuel Kant and Francis Bacon, Whewell opens with the aphorism 'Man is the Interpreter of Nature, Science the right interpretation'. Volume 2 contains the final sections of Part 1, addressing namely the philosophy of biology and palaetiology. Part 2, 'Of Knowledge', includes a selective review of opinions on the nature of knowledge and the means of seeking it, beginning with Plato. Whewell's work upholds throughout his belief that the mind was active and not merely a passive receiver of knowledge from the world. A key text in Victorian epistemological debates, notably challenged by John Stuart Mill and his System of Logic, Whewell's treatise merits continued study and discussion in the present day.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Epistemology & Philosophy of Science, 2016 · DOI ↗
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Field: History and Philosophy of Science
History and Philosophy of ScienceArts and Humanities