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Title
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Three Physico-Theological Discourses, Concerning I. The Primitive Chaos, and Creation of the World. II. The General Deluge, Its Causes and Effects. III. The Dissolution of the World and Future Conflagration
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Caption
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In this book, English naturalist John Ray elaborates on beliefs about the Great Flood from the Bible's Book of Genesis, during which God decides to reverse and redo creation by returning Earth to a state of watery chaos. While many 18th century natural historians and theologians used discovery of fossils (such as seashells in the Alps) as evidence of a global-scale flood, they did not see them as evidence of extinction. For many people during this time period, the idea of extinction was religiously troubling; it would suggest some flaw with God's divine plan at the beginning of the world. Additionally, belief that all life on Earth forms a Great Chain of Being—from ocean slime to angels—would make extinctions problematic breaks in its links.
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Creator
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John Ray
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Date Created
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1732
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Publisher
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Printed for W. Innys
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Place of Publication
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London, England
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Rights
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No Known Copyright
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Bibliographic Citation
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John Ray. Three Physico-Theological Discourses, Concerning I. The Primitive Chaos, and Creation of the World. II. The General Deluge, Its Causes and Effects. III. The Dissolution of the World and Future Conflagration. : Wherein Are Largely Discussed, the Production and Use of Mountains, the Original of Fountains, of Formed Stones, and Sea Fishes Bones and Shells Found in the Earth; the Effects of Particular Floods, and Inundations of the Sea; the Eruptions of Vulcano’s; the Nature and Causes of Earthquakes. Also, an Historical Account of These Two Remarkable Ones in Jamaica and England. With Practical Inferences. The 4th ed. corr. London: Printed for W. Innys, 1732. Rauner Woodward Room 314
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Filename
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exh-vanishing_Ray_001.jpeg
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exh-vanishing_Ray_002.jpeg
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Case Number
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Understanding Extinction - Species & Human Impacts
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Item Number
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5
