The Extraterrestrial Life Debate 1750-1900: The Idea of a Plurality of Worlds from Kant to LowellCUP Archive, 1986 - 680 pages This is the first in-depth study in English of the international debate that developed between 1750 and 1900 concerning the question of the existence of extraterrestrial intelligent life. Taking a history of ideas approach, the author describes the controversies that-arose over this question and reveals the great extent to which this issue influenced astronomical, philosophical, and religious thought. Professor Crowe shows that the majority of the leading astronomers of the last two centuries participated in this debate and he analyzes how their views interacted with new developments such as Newtonian mechanics, stellar astronomy, Darwinian theory, and astrophysics. This fascinating and critical history shows that the longstanding and widespread belief in extraterrestrial life has for centuries acted to alter major areas of our intellectual life. |
Contents
Astronomers and extraterrestrials | 41 |
Extraterrestrials and the Enlightenment | 81 |
The intensification of the plurality of worlds | 167 |
Responses to Chalmers especially the one world | 190 |
Saving the selenites including evidence that R | 202 |
The decades before Whewell | 216 |
Given modern | 234 |
pluralism questioned | 265 |
other responses | 346 |
New approaches to an ancient question | 359 |
Religious and scientific discussions | 407 |
What links are ours | 435 |
The battle over the planet of war | 480 |
the canal fallacy relegated into | 540 |
Some conclusions concerning the unconcluded | 547 |
religion | 557 |
Whewells first critic his earliest ally and the | 293 |
pluralism defended | 300 |
Geology versus | 319 |
a Bethlehem in Venus | 332 |
bibliography of books on the question of | 646 |
659 | |
674 | |
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Common terms and phrases
accepted adds American appeared argues arguments asserts astronomical atmosphere believe bodies Brewster canals century Chalmers chapter Christian cited claim concerning concludes contains created debate described developed discussion doctrine doubt earlier earth edition especially Essay evidence example existence extraterrestrial fact final Flammarion French habitable heavens Herschel History idea inhabitants intelligent interest John Journal Kant later least less letter light living London Lowell lunar Mars Martian material moon Moreover nature notes objection observations original Paris passages period philosophical planetary planets pluralist plurality of worlds position possible present probably Proctor publication published question quoted reason references religion religious remarkable revealed Review Schiaparelli scientific seems seen similar solar system speculations stars statement suggests telescope theory Thomas thought tion translated universe urges views volume Whewell Whewell's writings wrote York