A Preliminary Discourse on the Study of Natural Philosophy

384 Pages·1831·6.327 MB·English

by  John F. W. Herschel

THE
CABINET CYCLOPEDIA.
“ HOMO, NATURES MINISTER ET INTERPRES, TANTUM FACIT ET
“ INTELLIOIT QUANTUM DE NATURE ORDINE RE TEL MENTE OB*
“ SERVAVERIT J NEC AMPLIUS SCIT AUT POTEST.”
Bacon, Novum Oroanum, Aphor. 1.
MAN, AS THE MINISTER AND INTERPRETER OF NATURE, IS
LIMITED IN ACT AND UNDERSTANDING BT HIS OBSERVATION OP
THE ORDER OF NATURE: NEITHER HIS KNOWLEDGE NOR HIS
POWER EXTENDS FARTHER.
London
Printed by A. ft R* Spottiswoode,
New-Street-Squar*
THE
CABINET CYCLOPAEDIA.
CONDUCTED BY THB
REV. DIONYSIUS LARDNER, LL.D. F.R.S. L.&E.
M.R.LA F.R.aAft F.L.& F.Z.S. Hon. F.GP.a Ac. Ac.
ASSISTED BY
EMINENT LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC MEN
N atural pgiloaopgp.
A PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE
ON
THE STUDY OF NATURAL PHILOSOPHY.
BY
J. F. W. HERSCHEL, ESQ. M.A.
or ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE.
LONDON:
PUNTED FOR
LONGMAN, REES, ORME, BROWN, AND GREEN,
PATBRNOSTBR-ROW ;
AND JOHN TAYLOR,
UPPER GOWER STRRST.
1831.

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CONTENTS.
PART I.
or TBS GENERAL NATURE AND ADVANTAGES Of THX STUDY OT
THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES.
CHAP. I.
Of Man regarded as a Creature of Instinct, of Reason, and
Speculation.— General Influence of Scientific Pursuits on
• the Mind. • Page 1
CHAP* II.
Of abstract Science as a Preparation for the Study of Physics.
— A profound Acquaintance with it not indispensable for a
dear Understanding of Physical Laws.—How a Conviction
of their Truth may be obtained without it— Instances. —
Further Division of the Subject • - 18
CHAP. III.
Of the Nature and Objects, Immediate and collateral, of Phy­
sical Science, as regarded in itself, and in its Application to
the practical Purposes of Life, and its Influence on the Well­
being and Progress of Society. - - 35
VI CONTENTS.
PART II.
or THE PRINCIPLES OK WHICH PHYSICAL SCIENCE RELIES FOB
ITS 8UCCX88rUL PROSECUTION, AKD THX RULES XT WHICH A
SYSTEMATIC EXAMINATION OF NATUBX SHOULD BE CONDUCTED,
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS OF THEIR INFLUXNCX AS EXEMPLIFIED
IK THE HISTORY OF ITS PROGRESS.
CHAP. I.
Of Experience as the Source of our Knowledge.— Of the Dis­
missal of Prejudices,— Of the Evidence of our Senses.
Page 75
CHAP. II.
Of the Analysis of Phenomena. - 85
CHAP. III.
Of the State of Physical Science in General, previous to the
Age of Galileo and Bacon. • - 104
CHAP. IV.
Of the Observation of Facts and the Collection of Instances.
118
CHAP. V.
Of the Classification of Natural Objects and Phenomena, and
of Nomenclature. - - 135
CHAP. VI.
Of the First Stage of Induction.—The Discovery of Proxi­
mate Causes, and Laws of the lowest Degree of Generality,
and their Verification. - - . . 144
CHAP. VII.
Of the higher Degrees of Inductive Generalization, and of the
Formation and Verification of Theories. - 190
CONTENTS. vii
in.
PART
• OP THS SUBDIVISION OF FHTSXC8 INTO DISTINCT 1BANCHXS,
AND THXI* MUTUAL ABLATIONS.
CHAP. I.
Of the Phenomena of Force, and of the Constitution of
Natural Bodies. - - - Page 221
CHAP. II.
Of the Communication of Motion through Bodies. — Of
Sound and Light. - 24G
CHAP. III.
Of Cosmical Phenomena. . . . 265
CHAP. IV.
Of the Examination of the material Constituents of the
World. - - - - - 290
CHAP. V.
. Of the Imponderable Forms of Matter. - 310
CHAP. VI.
Of the Causes of the actual rapid Advance of the Physical
Sciences compared with their Progress at an earlier Period.
347
“ In primis, hominis est propria vbbi inquiatio atque investigatia Itaque
•* cum sumus negotiis necessariis, curisque vacui, turn tvemui aliquid
M videre, audire, ac dicerc, cognitionemque rerum, aut occultarumaut ad.
“mirabilium, ad benfe beateque vivendum necessarians dndmut;»a quo
M intelligitur, quod terum, simplex, sincerumque sit, id erne naturae bominis
** aptissimum. Huic mi videndi cupiditati adjuncta est appetitio quc.
M dam principatbs, ut nemini parere animus benfc a naturi informatu* relit,
M nisi prscipienti, aut docenti, aut utilitatis causi justfc et legitimfe impe»
** ranti: ex quo animi magnitudo existit, et humanarum reram contemtio.”
Cicero, db Officiib, Lih. L 1IS.
Before all other things, man is distinguished by bis pursuit and investigm.
tion of truth. And hence, when free from needfUl business and cares, we
delight to see, to hear, and to communicate, and consider a knowledge of
many admirable and abstruse tilings necessary to the good conduct and
happiness of our lives: whence it is dear that whatsoever is true, simple,
and direct, the same is most congenial to our nature as men. Closely allied
with this earnest longing to see and know the truth, is a kind of dignified
and princely sentiment which forbids a mind, naturally well constituted, to
submit its faculties to any but those who announce it in precept or in doc-
trine, or to yield obedience to any orders but such as are at mice just,
lawfbl, and founded on utility. From this source spring greatness of mind
and contempt of worldly advantages and troubles.