author
William Whewell
1794–1866
A brilliant Victorian thinker who moved easily between science, philosophy, history, and theology, he is often remembered for helping shape how people talk about science itself. His writing combines big intellectual ambition with a strong curiosity about how knowledge is built.
6 Audiobooks
History of the inductive sciences, from the earliest to the present time
by William Whewell
Astronomy and General Physics Considered with Reference to Natural Theology
by William Whewell
Novum organon renovatum Being the second part of the philosophy of the inductive sciences
by William Whewell
The Plurality of Worlds
by William Whewell
History of scientific ideas
by William Whewell
On the Philosophy of Discovery, Chapters Historical and Critical
by William Whewell
About the author
Born in Lancaster, England, in 1794, William Whewell became one of the great all-round minds of the 19th century. He spent most of his career at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he studied, taught, and later served as Master. His work ranged across mathematics, mineralogy, astronomy, ethics, and the history and philosophy of science.
Whewell is especially known for his efforts to understand how scientific discovery works. He wrote major books on the history of the sciences and on inductive reasoning, and he is widely associated with popularizing the word "scientist." That mix of historical knowledge and philosophical analysis made him an important voice in Victorian intellectual life.
He was also an Anglican priest and a prolific writer whose influence reached well beyond one discipline. For listeners today, Whewell stands out as a rare figure who tried to connect the sciences, the humanities, and moral thought into one larger picture of human knowledge.