The Categories of Jonathan Edwards’ Natural Philosophy Applied to Organic Chemistry: An Integrative Example

Abstract

In addition to Jonathan Edwards’ extensive bibliography in philosophy and theology, there exists much writing devoted to natural philosophy where he makes reference to man’s ability to recognize God’s order, beauty, and goodness in Creation. The following demonstrates these categories specifically with regard to Edwards’ “Spider” papers, then as they apply to the more modern field of organic chemistry. Jonathan Edwards laid an important foundation for how to view the world that continues to support a healthy scientific enterprise.