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A Preliminary Discourse on the Study of Natural Philosophy PDF

384 Pages·1831·6.327 MB·English
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Preview A Preliminary Discourse on the Study of Natural Philosophy

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. PltFJ.I. W.MIIIY niSCorii.SF. on tlx Sptadr of VATVMJLL n tlO S O y iY .TOITST FREDERICK WILLIAM HERSCHEL.E5Q. AM. T. ATP JELL W )F ST TuHNS <’OlJJ.GE. CAMHBIUliE .1. < < KAXTIL-e VtnC3STEE. ST ESTBUTRES. - €pufom: PEPTT.T5Xi FOB I.( (USMAN. REES QRME. BROWN. .«• GREEN • PATERNOSTER ROW: AX1) .TORN TAYEOE TTTER GOWER STREET. 1M.M). 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.

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