Astronomy and general physics considered with reference to natural theology / by William Whewell.
- William Whewell
- Date:
- 1847
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Astronomy and general physics considered with reference to natural theology / by William Whewell. Source: Wellcome Collection.
207/410 page 191
![5 NEBULAR HYPOTHESIS. 19] physical science: that the farthest glimpse we can obtain of the material universe by our na- tural faculties, shows it to us occupied by a boundless abyss of luminous matter: still we ask, how space came to be thus occupied, how matter came to be thus luminous? If we establish by physical proofs, that the first fact which can be traced in the history of the world, is that ‘‘ there was light ;” we shall still be led, even by our natural reason, to suppose that be- fore this could occur, ‘* God said, let there be light.” Cuaptrr VIII. The Existence of a Resisting Medium in the Solar System. aa ee CHE question of a plenum and a vacuum ae was formerly much debated among those who speculated concerning the constitution of the universe; that is, they disputed whether the celestial and terrestrial spaces are absolutely full, each portion being occupied by some matter or other; or whether there are, between and among the material parts of the world, empty spaces free from all matter, however rare. This question was often treated by means of abstract conceptions and @ priori reasonings; and was sometimes considered as one in which the result](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b33098438_0207.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
