Philosophy & Rhetoric Oct 2022

The Natural Philosophical Essay—Reflections on a Genre

Howard Caygill Kingston University

Abstract

ABSTRACT The article reflects on the natural scientific variant of the philosophical essay, with discussions of the essays of James Clerk Marxwell, Steven Jay Gould, and Carlo Rovelli. It suggests that the natural scientific essay is an important source of the philosophical essay eclipsed by the prominence of the essay form in art and literary criticism. It assesses the role of chance and improvisation in the natural scientific essay and considers its potential as an avenue both of scientific research and of the wider dissemination of scientific thought.

Journal
Philosophy & Rhetoric
Published
2022-10-01
DOI
10.5325/philrhet.55.3.0303
CompPile
Open Access
Closed
Topics
genre theory literary studies
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No articles in this index cite this work.

References (12)

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    Walter Benjamin: Selected Writings
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    Force and Understanding: Writings on Philosophy and Resistance
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    Hen’s Teeth and Horse’s Toes
  4. (1890)
    The Scientific Papers of James Clerk Maxwell
  5. (2004)
    Quantum Gravity
Show all 12 →
  1. (2007)
    The First Scientist: Anaximander and His Legacy
  2. (2014)
    Reality Is Not What It Seems: The Journey to Quantum Gravity
  3. (2017)
    The Order of Time
  4. (2018)
    There Are Places in the World Where Rules Are Less Important Than Kindness
  5. (2020)
    Helgoland
  6. (2021)
    General Relativity: The Essentials
  7. (2005)
    Into the Cool: Energy Flow, Thermodynamics, and Life
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