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Main Idea
a scientific finding or theory is not made solely off of mental observation, experience, and objective facts but from a collective or colligation of all these ideal. Like Popper, A scientist must rely on facts given to come to a conclusion to his theory through conjecture and refutation. Whewell agrees to distiction between conclusion made from theory alone versus conclusion made from refuted or tested data (whether physically done or fact check process of elimination) -
Major Works
Whewell, William. Astronomy and General Physics: Considered with Reference to Natural Theology. Pickering, 1833. Whewell, William. Lectures On Systematic Morality: Delivered In Lent Term, 1846. Parker, 1846. Whewell, William. The Philosophy of the Inductive Sciences Founded upon Their History: Being the 2. Philosophy of the Inductive Sciences. 1858 Whewell, William. The Elements of Morality, Including Polity. Forgotten Books, 2015. -
Fundamental ideas
a way of thinking perfectly situated between Rationalism and Empiricism that lead to a conclusion. Making a claim that a person can not fully free their mind of experiences to influence their theory but if they do draw from that experience it can be done through sound reasoning, backed by experimentation.
Snyder, Laura J., "William Whewell", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2019 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2019/entries/whewell/. -