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Article ID: CBB001220432

James Croll, Metaphysical Geologist (2012)

Finnegan, Diarmid A. (Author)

Notes and Records: The Royal Society Journal of the History of Science
Volume: 66
Pages: 69--88

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Earth sciences Biographies Calvinism Geology Metaphysics Science and religion Evolution 19th century Great Britain Croll, James

James Croll (1821--90) occupies a prominent position in the history of physical geology, and his pioneering work on the causes of long-term climate change has been widely discussed. During his life he benefited from the patronage of leading men of science; his participation in scientific debates was widely acknowledged, not least through his election as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1876. For all that, the intellectual contribution that Croll himself considered to be of most significance---his articles and two books on metaphysics---has attracted very little attention. In addressing this neglect, it is argued here that Croll's interest in metaphysics, grounded in his commitment to a Calvinist form of Christianity, was central to his life and thought. Examining together Croll's geophysical and metaphysical writings offers a different and fruitful way of understanding his scientific career and points to the wider significance of metaphysics in late-Victorian scientific culture.

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