William Robertson Smith : the scientific, literary and cultural context from 1866 to 1881
This thesis examines a formative period of William Robertson Smith's life, from his entry in 1866 to New College, Edinburgh, as a theological student, until 1881, when he became joint editor of the <I>Encyclopaedia Britannica</I> following his deposition from the chair of Hebrew and Old Testament Literature at Aberdeen Free Church College. The aim of the thesis has been to explore a number of the less well-known and relatively neglected influences upon Smith's thinking during those years and to relate the interaction of these with the more familiar factors of his personality and early education at his father's hand. The opening chapters focus upon the significant impact of Smith's interest in science and mathematics - and in particular upon the consequences of his close association at Edinburgh with Peter Guthrie Tait, professor of Natural Philosophy at Edinburgh University. Smith's student writings, particularly on prophecy, are then examined for the light they shed on his subsequent work as well as for the subtle influence exerted on the psychological aspects of that work through his earlier training under Alexander Bain at Aberdeen University. Robertson Smith's brief verbal duel with John Tyndall in 1874
Booth, Gordon Kempt
Philosophy
William Robertson Smith : the scientific, literary and cultural context from 1866 to 1881. This thesis examines a formative period of William Robertson Smith's life, from his entry in 1866 to New College, Edinburgh, as a theological student, until 1881, when he became joint editor of the <I>Encyclopaedia Britannica</I> following his deposition from the chair of Hebrew and Old Testament Literature at Aberdeen Free Church College. The aim of the thesis has been to explore a number of the less well-known and relatively neglected influences upon Smith's thinking during those years and to relate the interaction of these with the more familiar factors of his personality and early education at his father's hand. The opening chapters focus upon the significant impact of Smith's interest in science and mathematics - and in particular upon the consequences of his close association at Edinburgh with Peter Guthrie Tait, professor of Natural Philosophy at Edinburgh University. Smith's student writings, particularly on prophecy, are then examined for the light they shed on his subsequent work as well as for the subtle influence exerted on the psychological aspects of that work through his earlier training under Alexander Bain at Aberdeen University. Robertson Smith's brief verbal duel with John Tyndall in 1874
william robertson smith scientific literary cultural_context examines formative_period william robertson smith life entry new college edinburgh theological student become joint editor follow deposition hebrew old testament literature aberdeen free church college aim_explore number less_well known relatively neglected influence_upon smith think year relate interaction familiar factor personality early education father hand open focus_upon significant_impact smith interest science mathematics particular upon consequence close_association edinburgh peter professor natural philosophy edinburgh university smith student_writing particularly prophecy examine_light shed subsequent work well subtle influence_exert psychological aspect work earlier train alexander aberdeen university robertson smith brief verbal john