Essays from the Edinburgh and Quarterly Reviews: With Addresses and Other Pieces

Paperback / softback

Main Details

Title Essays from the Edinburgh and Quarterly Reviews: With Addresses and Other Pieces
Authors and Contributors      By (author) John Herschel
SeriesCambridge Library Collection - Astronomy
Physical Properties
Format:Paperback / softback
Pages:760
Dimensions(mm): Height 216,Width 140
Category/GenreAstronomy, space and time
ISBN/Barcode 9781108069656
Audience
Professional & Vocational

Publishing Details

Publisher Cambridge University Press
Imprint Cambridge University Press
Publication Date 17 July 2014
Publication Country United Kingdom

Description

First published in 1857, this work comprises assorted noteworthy writings by the mathematician and astronomer Sir John Herschel (1792-1871), reflecting his diverse scientific and literary interests. It includes a piece on terrestrial magnetism, a review of William Whewell's writings on the history and philosophy of science, and several addresses to the Royal Astronomical Society. Of particular interest is Herschel's commentary on Adolphe Quetelet's work on probability, which advocated applying statistics and probability calculus to social and political questions. Herschel's article not only influenced the growth of social science in Britain, but also played an important role in James Clerk Maxwell's development of a statistical treatment of heat phenomena. Also included in this collection are Herschel's translations of poems by Schiller (accompanied by the original German) as well as examples of his own verse. In an intriguing appendix, Herschel outlines a method for compiling vocabularies of indigenous peoples.

Author Biography

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