Aliens and atheists: The Plurality of Worlds and Natural Theology in Seventeenth-Century England.

The plurality of worlds has had a long history in England, which has not gone unnoticed by scholars. Historians have tended to view this English pluralist tradition as similar to those found on the continent, and in doing so have failed to fully understand the religious significance that the plurality of worlds had on English thought and society. This religious significance is discovered through a thorough investigation of plurality as presented by English natural philosophers and theologians, and in so doing reveals much about England in the seventeenth century. As natural philosophers incorporated plurality within the larger framework of natural theology, it became a weapon of science and reason to be used against the unreasonable atheists of late seventeenth-century England.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of North Texas

Year dc:date

2007

Author dc:creator

• Oliver, Ryan

Contributors dc:contributor

• Morris, Marilyn
• Stern, Laura
• Golden, Richard M.

• composites
• England
• plurality of worlds
• philosophers
• Philosophy, English -- 17th century.
• Science -- England -- History -- 17th century.
• Natural theology.
• Plurality of worlds.
• Athiests -- England -- History -- 17th century.

Statement dc:rights

• Public
• Copyright
• Oliver, Ryan
• Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.

Language dc:language

English

Identifier

oclc: 227164546
https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc5134/
ark: ark:/67531/metadc5134

OAI identifier oai:identifier

info:ark/67531/metadc5134