natural philosophy
Pre-modern physics inquiry
Natural philosophy is an archaic term for what we now call science, particularly physics and the study of the natural world.
Before the 19th century, those investigating nature's workings were natural philosophers rather than scientists: Newton's Principia was a masterwork of natural philosophy.
The term reflects a time when science and philosophy were not yet distinct disciplines.
Cause-effect connection
- teleologyStudy of purpose in nature
- mechanismMeans by which something operates
- empiricismKnowledge through observation
- observationAttentive watching or remark
hypothesis · induction · deduction · demonstration · axiom · postulate · syllogism · reasoning
Greek founder of formal logic
- PlatoGreek philosopher, academy founder
- SocratesAncient Athenian questioning philosopher
- DemocritusAncient atomism's founder
- ThalesFirst Western philosopher
Pythagoras · Archimedes · Lucretius · Ptolemy · Epicureans · Lyceum · Academy · ancients
Celestial expanse overhead
- celestialOf the sky above
- spheresRound solids, all points equidistant
- cosmosOrderly totality of existence
- astronomyScience of celestial objects
planets · stars · comets · orbits · ecliptic · firmament · orrery · epicycle
Science of motion
- opticsScience of illumination
- magnetismForce between poles
- dynamicsStudy of forces
- motionChange in position
gravity · pendulum · vacuum · pneumatics · hydrostatics · Newton · Boyle · experimentation
Soil or electrical grounding
- waterClear essential liquid
- airGaseous envelope surrounding Earth
- fireCombustion with flames
- aetherHypothetical light-wave medium
quintessence · four elements · humors · transmutation · choleric · sanguine · phlegmatic · melancholic
causality
Cause-effect connection
- teleologyStudy of purpose in nature
- mechanismMeans by which something operates
- empiricismKnowledge through observation
observation · hypothesis · induction · deduction · demonstration · axiom · postulate · syllogism · reasoning · investigation
Aristotle
Greek founder of formal logic
- PlatoGreek philosopher, academy founder
- SocratesAncient Athenian questioning philosopher
- DemocritusAncient atomism's founder
Thales · Pythagoras · Archimedes · Lucretius · Ptolemy · Epicureans · Lyceum · Academy · ancients · scholasticism
heavens
Celestial expanse overhead
- celestialOf the sky above
- spheresRound solids, all points equidistant
- cosmosOrderly totality of existence
astronomy · planets · stars · comets · orbits · ecliptic · firmament · orrery · epicycle · zodiac
mechanics
Science of motion
motion · gravity · pendulum · vacuum · pneumatics · hydrostatics · Newton · Boyle · experimentation · apparatus
earth
Soil or electrical grounding
aether · quintessence · four elements · humors · transmutation · choleric · sanguine · phlegmatic · melancholic · temperaments
- disciplinesbiology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, psychology
- humanitieshistory, literature, novels, humanities, liberal arts
- natural historynaturalists, flora, fauna, species, fossil
- scientific progressinventions, scientific expeditions, geology, botany, chemistry
- Early ModernRenaissance, 1500s, 1600s, Reformation, sixteenth century
- Electricity HistoryMichael Faraday, Faraday, Benjamin Franklin, Franklin, Thomas Edison
natural philosophytheology
Study of the divine
moral philosophy · metaphysics · ethics · political philosophy · eschatology
natural philosophymodern science
Post-Enlightenment systematic investigation
experimental science · physics · chemistry · biology · applied science
natural philosophyrevelation
Surprising disclosed truth
mysticism · supernaturalism · theology · faith · dogma
natural, nature, naturally, unnatural, supernatural, philosophy, philosopher, philosophical, naturalist