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010 _a05021649
040 _aUtSlPG
041 7 _aen
_2iso639-1
050 4 _aQB
100 1 _aWhewell, William,
_d1794-1866
245 1 4 _aThe Plurality of Worlds
264 1 _aSalt Lake City, UT :
_bProject Gutenberg,
_c2011
300 _a1 online resource :
_bmultiple file formats
336 _atext
_btxt
_2rdacontent
337 _acomputer
_bc
_2rdamedia
338 _aonline resource
_bcr
_2rdacarrier
500 _aRelease date is 2011-05-31
508 _aProduced by Jonathan Ingram, Stephen H. Sentoff and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)
520 _a"The Plurality of Worlds" by William Whewell is a scientific treatise written in the mid-19th century. The work explores the idea of whether other planets and celestial bodies are inhabited, engaging with contemporary astronomical discoveries and their implications for philosophical and religious thought. The author addresses the potential conflict between scientific knowledge about the vast universe and traditional religious beliefs regarding the uniqueness of Earth in God's creation. The opening of the essay sets the stage for a philosophical exploration of humanity's place in the universe, referencing the awe inspired by the night sky and the ancient question posed by the Psalmist: “What is man, that you are mindful of him?” Whewell considers modern astronomical knowledge, arguing that the multitude of celestial bodies prod the mind to inquire about possible other forms of life and civilization beyond Earth. He presents a thoughtful examination of how these discoveries might challenge existing religious beliefs, while proposing that an understanding of God's care for creation can expand to include the vastness of the universe. Overall, the beginning establishes a nuanced dialogue between science and religion, setting the stage for a deeper inquiry into humanity's significance in a potentially inhabited cosmos. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
534 _nOriginal publication data not identified
653 _aPlurality of worlds
700 1 _aHitchcock, Edward,
_d1793-1864
856 4 0 _uhttps://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/36288
999 _c77128
_d77128