Astronomy and General Physics Considered with Reference to Natural Theology

by William Whewell

			Page.
[INTRODUCTION.]
[Chapter I.]		Object of the Present Treatise	13
	[II.]	On Laws of Nature	17
	[III.]	Mutual Adaptation of Laws of Nature	20
	[IV.]	Division of the Subject	23
[BOOK I. Terrestrial Adaptations]			25
[Chapter I.]		The Length of the Year	28
	[II.]	The Length of the Day	37
	[III.]	The Mass of the Earth	43
	[IV.]	The Magnitude of the Ocean	50
	[V.]	The Magnitude of the Atmosphere	51
	[VI.]	The Constancy and Variety of Climates	52
	[VII.]	The Variety of Organization corresponding to the Variety of Climate	57
	[VIII.]	The Constituents of Climate	66
		The Laws of Heat with respect to the Earth	67
	[IX.]	The Laws of Heat with respect to Water	70
	[X.]	The Laws of Heat with respect to Air	81
	[XI.]	The Laws of Electricity	91
	[XII.]	The Laws of Magnetism	93
	[XIII.]	The Properties of Light with regard to Vegetation	94
	[XIV.]	Sound	96
	[XV.]	The Atmosphere	102
	[XVI.]	Light	104
	[XVII.]	The Ether	111
	[XVIII.]	Recapitulation	113
[BOOK II. Cosmical Arrangements]			119
[Chapter I.]		The Structure of the Solar System	121
	[II.]	The Circular Orbits of the Planets round the Sun	123
	[III.]	The Stability of the Solar System	127
	[IV.]	The Sun in the Centre	134
	[V.]	The Satellites	137
	[VI.]	The Stability of the Ocean	140
	[VII.]	The Nebular Hypothesis	143
	[VIII.]	The Existence of a Resisting Medium in the Solar System	150
	[IX.]	Mechanical Laws	163
	[X.]	The Law of Gravitation	166
	[XI.]	The Laws of Motion	178
	[XII.]	Friction	183
[BOOK III. Religious Views]			193
[Chapter I.]		The Creator of the Physical World is the Governor of the Moral World	195
	[II.]	On the Vastness of the Universe	205
	[III.]	On Man’s Place in the Universe	212
	[IV.]	On the Impression produced by the Contemplation of Laws of Nature; or, on the Conviction that Law implies Mind	223
	[V.]	On Inductive Habits; or, on the impression produced on Men’s Minds by discovering Laws of Nature	230
	[VI.]	On Deductive Habits; or, on the Impression produced on Men’s Minds by tracing the Consequences of ascertained Laws	243
	[VII.]	On Final Causes	257
	[VIII.]	On the Physical Agency of the Deity	267
	[IX.]	On the Impression produced by considering the Nature and Prospects of Science; or, on the Impossibility of the Progress of our Knowledge ever enabling us to comprehend the Nature of the Deity	273

ON

ASTRONOMY

AND

GENERAL PHYSICS.

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INTRODUCTION.

[CHAPTER I.]
Object of the Present Treatise.

The examination of the material world brings before us a number of things and relations of things which suggest to most minds the belief of a creating and presiding Intelligence. And this impression, which arises with the most vague and superficial consideration of the objects by which we are surrounded, is, we conceive, confirmed and expanded by a more exact and profound study of external nature. Many works have been written at different times with the view of showing how our knowledge of the elements and their operation, of plants and animals and their construction, may serve to nourish and unfold our idea of a Creator and Governor of the world. But though this is the case, a new work on the same subject may still have its use. Our views of the Creator and Governor of the world, as collected from or combined with our views of the world itself, undergo modifications, as we are led by new discoveries, new generalizations, to regard nature in a new light. The conceptions concerning the Deity, his mode of effecting his purposes, the scheme of his government, which are suggested by one stage of our knowledge of natural objects and operations, may become manifestly imperfect or incongruous, if adhered to and applied at a later period, when our acquaintance with the immediate causes of natural events has been greatly extended. On this account it may be interesting, after such an advance, to show how the views of the creation, preservation, and government of the universe, which natural science opens to us, harmonize with our belief in a Creator, Governor, and Preserver of the world. To do this with respect to certain departments of Natural Philosophy is the object of the following pages; and the author will deem himself fortunate, if he succeeds in removing any of the difficulties and obscurities which prevail in men’s minds, from the want of a clear mutual understanding between the religious and the scientific speculator. It is needless here to remark the necessarily imperfect and scanty character of Natural Religion; for most persons will allow that, however imperfect may be the knowledge of a Supreme Intelligence which we gather from the contemplation of the natural world, it is still of most essential use and value. And our purpose on this occasion is, not to show that Natural Theology is a perfect and satisfactory scheme, but to bring up our Natural Theology to the point of view in which it may be contemplated by the aid of our Natural Philosophy.