Culture of Accidents

Unexpected Knowledges in Early Modern England

Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy, Metaphysics, Fiction & Literature, Literary Theory & Criticism, British
Cover of the book Culture of Accidents by Michael Witmore, Stanford University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Michael Witmore ISBN: 9780804779913
Publisher: Stanford University Press Publication: September 1, 2002
Imprint: Stanford University Press Language: English
Author: Michael Witmore
ISBN: 9780804779913
Publisher: Stanford University Press
Publication: September 1, 2002
Imprint: Stanford University Press
Language: English

Collapsing buildings, unexpected meetings in the marketplace, monstrous births, encounters with pirates at sea—these and other unforeseen “accidents” at the turn of the seventeenth century in England acquired unprecedented significance in the early modern philosophical and cultural imagination. Drawing on intellectual history, cultural criticism, and rhetorical theory, this book chronicles the narrative transformation of “accident” from a philosophical dead end to an astonishing occasion for revelation and wonder in early modern religious life, dramatic practice, and experimental philosophy.

Embracing the notion that accident was a concept with both learned and popular appeal, the book traces its evolution through Aristotelian, Scholastic, and Calvinist thought into a range of early modern texts. It suggests that for many English writers, accidental events raised fundamental questions about the nature of order in the world and the way that order should be apprehended.

Alongside texts by such canonical figures as Shakespeare and Bacon, this study draws on several lesser-known authors of sensational news accounts about accidents that occurred around the turn of the seventeenth century. The result is a cultural anatomy of accidents as philosophical problem, theatrical conceit, spiritual landmark, and even a prototype for Baconian “experiment,” one that provides a fresh interpretation of the early modern engagement with contingency in intellectual and cultural terms.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Collapsing buildings, unexpected meetings in the marketplace, monstrous births, encounters with pirates at sea—these and other unforeseen “accidents” at the turn of the seventeenth century in England acquired unprecedented significance in the early modern philosophical and cultural imagination. Drawing on intellectual history, cultural criticism, and rhetorical theory, this book chronicles the narrative transformation of “accident” from a philosophical dead end to an astonishing occasion for revelation and wonder in early modern religious life, dramatic practice, and experimental philosophy.

Embracing the notion that accident was a concept with both learned and popular appeal, the book traces its evolution through Aristotelian, Scholastic, and Calvinist thought into a range of early modern texts. It suggests that for many English writers, accidental events raised fundamental questions about the nature of order in the world and the way that order should be apprehended.

Alongside texts by such canonical figures as Shakespeare and Bacon, this study draws on several lesser-known authors of sensational news accounts about accidents that occurred around the turn of the seventeenth century. The result is a cultural anatomy of accidents as philosophical problem, theatrical conceit, spiritual landmark, and even a prototype for Baconian “experiment,” one that provides a fresh interpretation of the early modern engagement with contingency in intellectual and cultural terms.

More books from Stanford University Press

Cover of the book Pollution Limits and Polluters’ Efforts to Comply by Michael Witmore
Cover of the book Special Relations by Michael Witmore
Cover of the book Houses in Motion by Michael Witmore
Cover of the book K-pop Live by Michael Witmore
Cover of the book Juridical Humanity by Michael Witmore
Cover of the book Clio/Anthropos by Michael Witmore
Cover of the book Empowerment Evaluation in the Digital Villages by Michael Witmore
Cover of the book Live and Die Like a Man by Michael Witmore
Cover of the book The Modernity of Others by Michael Witmore
Cover of the book Culture in Conflict by Michael Witmore
Cover of the book Integrating Regions by Michael Witmore
Cover of the book Worlding America by Michael Witmore
Cover of the book The Class of 1761 by Michael Witmore
Cover of the book A Genealogy of Dissent by Michael Witmore
Cover of the book The Theater of Truth by Michael Witmore
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy