Abstract

This chapter provides a systematic and historical account of Whewell’s Philosophy of Science. In the first sections, special attention is paid to Whewell’s epistemology, the so-called ‘Fundamental Antithesis of Philosophy,’ and Whewell’s rapport with Kant’s philosophy. In the remaining sections, Whewell’s views on the construction of science and confirmation are analyzed. In the final section, it is shown that Whewell’s active involvement in tidology helped to shape his methodological ideas.