Dividing Reason: Mathematics and Spirit in the World of Augustus and Sophia De Morgan

布朗大学琼·理查兹《分裂的原因：奥古斯都和索菲亚·德·摩根世界中的数学和精神》首席研究员正在为维多利亚时代早期的夫妇奥古斯都和索菲亚·德·摩根准备一对智力传记。深入研究奥古斯都和索菲亚·德·摩根的生活有助于我们理解现代世俗社会的历史根源。奥古斯都在伦敦世俗大学学院教授数学；他所有关于数学和逻辑的多产著作都是出于他希望建立一个超越宗教差异的公共理性世界的愿望。索菲亚从生产和抚养他们的七个孩子的经历中总结出的接近真理的方法，与奥古斯都在大学课堂上发展的方法非常不同。虽然奥古斯都试图通过净化理性的程序来捕捉真相，但索菲亚发现它是在同情的倾听中找到的。这对夫妻团队的观点之间的反差反映了一个世俗世界的深层结构，这个世界要求严格区分私人和公共领域；重新审视这个世界有望揭示许多现代世俗社会建立在公共和私人之间的鲜明区别的认识论含义。NSF Support补充了古根海姆奖学金，并涵盖了在英国的研究旅行。调查人员将检查伦敦、牛津和剑桥的材料，以补充奥古斯都对索菲亚的研究工作的大量知识。成果包括一本学术专著和对科学学会历史的介绍。

ABSTRACTSES 0114474Joan Richards, Brown UniversityDividing Reason: Mathematics and Spirit in the World of Augustus and Sophia De MorganThe principal investigator is preparing a paired intellectual biography of the early Victorian couple, Augustus and Sophia De Morgan. An in-depth study that links the lives of Augustus and Sophia De Morgan will contribute to our understanding of the historical roots of modern secular society. Augustus taught mathematics at the secular University College in London; all of his prolific writings on mathematics and logic were motivated by his desire to establish a public world of reason that would transcend religious difference. The approach to truth that Sophia drew out of her experiences producing and raising their seven children was very different from those Augustus developed in his University classes. Whereas Augustus tried to capture truth through a purifying rational program, Sophia found it in empathetic listening. The contrast between the views of this husband and wife team reflects the deep structure of a secular world that mandated a strict separation between the private and public spheres; revisiting that world promises to shed light on the epistemological implications of the sharp distinctions between public and private on which many modern secular societies are built. NSF support supplements a Guggenheim Fellowship, and covers research travel in England. The investigator will examine materials in London, Oxford and Cambridge to supplement an already substantial knowledge of Augustus's work with research into Sophia. Outcomes include a scholarly monograph and presentations to the History of Science Society.