Plurality Of Words: The Extraterrestrial Life Debate From Democritus To Kant

Plurality of Words: The Extraterrestrial Life Debate from Democritus to Kant

This is a fascinating history of the debate over the question of extraterrestrial life from Classical Greece to the mid-eighteenth century. Using many primary and secondary sources, this book analyses why such great thinkers as Aristotle, Aquinas, Ockham, Galileo, Kepler, Huygens, and Kant thought the debate over the plurality of worlds a subject for serious discussion. The author shows how conflicting arguments from science, philosophy, and theology gradually converged to the same opinion - that intelligent life must fill the universe. Review 'Dick has performed a valuable service in compiling such an extensive survey of the historical development of the many worlds concept. An historical perspective on the subject provides a fascinating and important context for more modern advances.' New Scientist Book Description This book analyses the debate over extraterrestrial life from Aristotle to Kant. Book Description This book analyses why such great thinkers as Aristotle, Aquinas, Ockham, Galileo, Kepler, Huygens, and Kant thought the debate over the plurality of worlds a subject for serious discussion. The author shows how conflicting arguments from science, philosophy, and theology gradually converged to the same opinion - that intelligent life must fill the universe.