William Whewell Quotes
1794–1866 England
William Whewell (May 24, 1794 – March 6, 1866) was an English polymath, scientist, Anglican priest, philosopher, theologian and historian of science.
- England
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- Philosophers
Also known as: Whewell, William
Random William Whewell quote
66 quotes
When alterations in technical terms become necessary, it is desirable that the new term should contain in its form some memorial of the old one.
Discovery depends upon the previous cultivation or natural clearness of the appropriate Idea, and therefore no discovery is the work of accident.
Coexistent polarities are fundamentally identical.
When common words are appropriated as technical terms, their meaning and relations in common use should be retained as far as can conveniently be done.
The earlier truths are not expelled but absorbed, not contradicted but extended; and the history of each science, which may thus appear like a succession of revolutions, is, in reality, a series of developements.
History of the Inductive Sciences (1837)
Man, servant and interpreter of Nature, does and understands only as much as he has observed of the order of Nature, either in reality or in mind; he neither knows nor can do more.
It has been proved by the biological speculations of past time, that organic Life cannot rightly be resolved into mechanical or chemical forces, or the operation of a vital fluid, or of a soul.
The distinction of Fact and Theory is only relative. Brute animals have a practical knowledge of relations of space and force; but they have no knowledge of Geometry or Mechanicks.
The antithesis of 'Sense' & 'Ideas' is the foundation of the Philosophy of Science. No knowledge can exist without the union, no philosophy without the separation, of these two elements.
Truths obtained by Induction are made compact and permanent by being expressed in 'Technical Terms'.
The solution is, that we do not see the image on the retina at all, we only see by means of it.
We necessarily perceive bodies as 'without' us: the Idea of 'Externality' is one of the conditions of perception.
The fundamental terms of a system of Nomenclature may "be conveniently borrowed from casual or arbitrary circumstances.
We collect individuals into 'kinds' by applying to them the Idea of Likeness.
The Palætiological Sciences depend upon the Idea of Cause; but the leading conception which they involve is that of 'historical cause', not mechanical cause.
'Form' or 'figure' is space limited by boundaries. Space has necessarily 'three' dimensions, length, breadth, depth; and no ethers which cannot be resolved into these.
Attractions take place between bodies, affinities between the particles of a body. The former may be compared to the alliances of states, the latter to the ties of family.
A liberal Education ought to include both Permanent Studies which connect men with the culture of past generations, and Progressive Studies which make them feel their community with the present generation, its businesses, interests and prospects.
Of a Liberal Education in General (1850)
But with regard to the material world, we can at least go so far as this—we can perceive that events are brought about not by insulated interpositions of Divine power, exerted in each particular case, but by the establishment of general laws.
Life is a System of Vital Forces ; and the conception of such Forces involves a peculiar Fundamental Idea.