Published in 1721 by the prominent Puritan clergyman Cotton Mather, The Christian Philosopher was the first comprehensive book on science to be written by an American. Building on natural theology, Mather demonstrated the harmony between religion and the new science associated with Sir Isaac Newton. His survey of all the known sciences from astronomy and physics to human anatomy presented evidence that both celestial and terrestrial phenomema imply an intelligent designer. Winton Solberg's introduction places Mather's treatise in its widest historical context. In addition to tracing the origins and sources of Mather's work, Solberg analyzes the book's contents, its reception, and its significance in American intellectual and cultural history. This edition affirms Mather's importance to American thought as a deeply religious intellectual who introduced the Enlightenment to America.

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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1815 edition. Excerpt: ...But now how many moral instructions would the commonwealth of bees afford to a mind willing to be instructed of God, by the ministry of this mysterious insect! Honest Purchas has with an imitation of it gathered no less than three centuries of them; and yet these are but a few of the things which these preachers would advise ns of: I will single out but this one peculiar document from them for myself, which Pliny takes notice of: nothing hinders their industry but bad weather. Another of these providers is the ant, whereof the wise man says, they are exceeding wise; a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer. Sir Edward King having been curious in examining their generation, wonders to find them lying in multitudes on their eggs, which they industriously gather together, by way of incubation. He wonders to see them in the morning bringing them up towards the top of the bank, and for the most part on the south side of it; but at night, especially if it be cool, or if likely to rain, you may dig a foot before you can find them. Indeed all is wonderful. There is the field ant and the wood ant; the field ant feeds upon small seeds. They have their leaders and rulers, which they follow along their little paths in exact order, and return the same way; they all go out light, but all return home heavy laden, with their burdens on their backs. The wood ant feeds upon leaves. You may see somet.mes great paths made by them, three or four inches broad, and as beaten as the high ways; they march stoutly under such loads, that you can, not see their bodies;. a path looks perfectly green. with them. In two months of the year they take wing, and fly abroad in the warm sun, to take their pleasure, after the fatigue of their labour is...