PhilSci Archive

Charles Darwin and Sir John F. W. Herschel: Nineteenth-Century Science and its Methodology

Pence, Charles H. (2010) Charles Darwin and Sir John F. W. Herschel: Nineteenth-Century Science and its Methodology. [Preprint]

WarningThere is a more recent version of this item available.
[img]
Preview
PDF
pence-herschel-eprint.pdf - Draft Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution No Derivatives.

Download (216kB)

Abstract

In this essay, I review the relationship between Charles Darwin's methodology and the philosophy of science of Sir John F. W. Herschel. Darwin's exposure to Herschel's philosophy was, I argue, significant. Further, when we construct an appropriate reading of Herschel's philosophy of science (a surprisingly difficult feat), we can see that Darwin's three-part argument in the Origin is crafted in order to strictly adhere to Herschel's methodological guidelines.


Export/Citation: EndNote | BibTeX | Dublin Core | ASCII/Text Citation (Chicago) | HTML Citation | OpenURL
Social Networking:
Share |

Item Type: Preprint
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Pence, Charles H.charles@charlespence.net
Keywords: Charles Darwin; John F. W. Herschel; William Whewell; vera causa; analogy; consilience
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Biology > Evolutionary Theory
General Issues > History of Philosophy of Science
General Issues > Philosophers of Science
Depositing User: Charles H. Pence
Date Deposited: 19 Jan 2011 12:47
Last Modified: 31 Aug 2015 14:28
Item ID: 8462
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Biology > Evolutionary Theory
General Issues > History of Philosophy of Science
General Issues > Philosophers of Science
Date: October 2010
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/8462

Available Versions of this Item

Monthly Views for the past 3 years

Monthly Downloads for the past 3 years

Plum Analytics

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item