This study by Andrew Dickson White (1832-1918) concerns the progress of humankind under two duelling forces: theology and science. The text traces the evolution of human thought through a series of contrasts of ancient and modern theories of the world to show the impact of scientific research on the outmoded attitude of biblical literalism. Taking in a wide range of subjects - including geography, astronomy, geology, chemistry, physics, medicine, psychology and economics - White illustrates the victory of empiricism over superstition, of scientific method and "reason" over fundamentalism. White's aim was to show that the Church's attacks on scientific progress resulted in "the direst evils both to religion and to science" and, more broadly, his study points out the dangers inherent in the religious control of higher education (at a time when nearly all universities in the USA and Europe were still under ecclesiastical control). Cornell University was established on the principle that education should not be under the control of political parties or religious sects - an idea greeted at the time with hostile accusations of Darwinism and atheism.
But White was in fact deeply religious and his hope was to strengthen and purify theology by eliminating its antiscientific concerns.
- ISBN10 1855065088
- ISBN13 9781855065086
- Publish Date 1 June 1997
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 30 June 2005
- Publish Country GB
- Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
- Imprint Thoemmes Continuum
- Edition Facsimile of 1897 ed
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 935
- Language English