On the Philosophy of Discovery

Chapters Historical and Critical

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How does scientific knowledge take shape, and what makes a discovery more than a collection of observations? In On the Philosophy of Discovery, William Whewell examines the processes and principles by which people arrive at reliable knowledge.

Drawing on the history of science, Whewell considers how discoveries emerge and how they are understood. The book brings together questions about evidence, reasoning, and the growth of human knowledge, treating scientific inquiry as a subject for philosophical investigation in its own right.

Written in the nineteenth century, this work offers a historical perspective on how science was explained and organized in Whewell’s time. It may suit listeners interested in the history and philosophy of science, especially those curious about the ideas behind discovery rather than a single scientific field.

Chapters

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Pre-Introduction 4:21 Read by ShrimpPhish
Chapter I - Introduction 7:22 Read by bookspeakerr
Chapter II 15:38 Read by bookspeakerr
Chapter III 14:50 Read by bookspeakerr
Chapter IV 13:28 Read by bookspeakerr
Chapter V 18:00 Read by bookspeakerr
Chapter VI 14:49 Read by bookspeakerr
Chapter VII 10:40 Read by czandra
Chapter VIII 5:32 Read by bookspeakerr
Chapter IX 18:51 Read by bookspeakerr
Chapter X 9:47 Read by czandra
Chapter XI 32:20 Read by bookspeakerr
Chapter XII 37:36 Read by bookspeakerr
Chapter XIII 37:38 Read by bookspeakerr
Chapter XIV 59:31 Read by bookspeakerr
Chapter XV 1:06:20 Read by bookspeakerr
Chapter XVI 20:51 Read by bookspeakerr
Chapter XVII 41:21 Read by Thomas Thieme
Chapter XVIII 55:18 Read by bookspeakerr
Chapter XIX 31:10 Read by bookspeakerr
Chapter XX 33:33 Read by bookspeakerr
Chapter XXI 21:38 Read by Patty H
Chapter XXII Part 1 57:32 Read by bookspeakerr
Chapter XXII Part 2 1:41:52 Read by bookspeakerr
Chapter XXIII 20:56 Read by bookspeakerr
Chapter XXIV 44:49 Read by bookspeakerr
Chapter XXV 19:03 Read by bookspeakerr
Chapter XXVI 18:47 Read by bookspeakerr
Chapter XXVII 18:12 Read by SaigeOne
Chapter XXVIII 39:30 Read by bookspeakerr
Chapter XXIX 17:53 Read by Bryan Travis
Chapter XXX 58:28 Read by bookspeakerr
Chapter XXXI 22:20 Read by Bryan Travis
Chapter XXXII 36:43 Read by Bryan Travis
Appendix A 54:10 Read by SaigeOne
Appendix B 33:21 Read by jenno
Appendix BB 26:35 Read by Patty H
Appendix C 25:16 Read by Nick Autorina
Appendix D 30:19 Read by czandra
Appendix E 1:17:00 Read by bookspeakerr
Appendix F 37:30 Read by bookspeakerr
Appendix G 31:45 Read by Owlivia
Appendix H 37:33 Read by bookspeakerr