William Whewell (1794-1866) and Charles Babbage (1791-1871) were giants of early Victorian intellectual culture. During the 1830s, the two friends engaged in a public debate on the relation between science and religion that set the scene for the more dramatic controversies sweeping through Britain in the 1840s-50s, epitomized by Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species.
This unique sourcebook brings together all the important primary material necessary to understanding the Whewell-Babbage arguments. Structured as a debate, while also providing associated secondary readings for further study, it functions as an accessible guide to the pre-Darwinian intellectual world in Britain. It features:
- Annotated excerpts from Whewell's and Babbage's famous Bridgewater Treatises
- Contextual material, including correspondence and reviews.
- General introduction and editor's notes to the texts provide historical context
- Discussion questions and suggestions for further reading
A fascinating selection of primary sources, this book unearths a key debate between two central figures of the early Victorian era and offers an updated account of the richness of modern philosophy and science. It is essential reading for anyone interested in the history of science, religion, philosophy and culture in 19-century Britain, especially in relation to Darwinism.
