| Abstrakt: |
The article discusses estimates of the earth's age by nineteenth century natural philosophy professor William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin. It focuses on the influence of religion on his calculations, noting his desire to disprove naturalist Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. The author particularly comments on Kelvin's work in thermodynamics, his belief in a solid earth center, and his theory of the conservation of energy. Other topics include his education at Cambridge University, the influence of Scottish preacher Thomas Chalmers, and geologist Charles Lyell's thoughts on the earth's composition. The article also reflects on Kelvin's views on the sun's heat and the cooling of the earth. |
