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Series:   Elements on Women in the History of Philosophy

Victoria Welby

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 February 2023

Emily Thomas
Emily Thomas
Affiliation:
Durham University

Summary

In 1880s Britain, Victoria Welby (1837–1912) began creating a rich, wide-ranging metaphysical system. At its heart lies Motion, 'the great fact, the supreme category'. Drawing extensively on archive materials, this Element offers the first study of Welby's metaphysics. It portrays her universe as a complex of motions: motions comprise material bodies, living beings, and conscious minds. This dynamic universe, 'Motion', underlies many other elements of her thought, including her views on idealism, panpsychism, change, space, and anti-realism about time. This study shows that Welby's metaphysics are deeply embedded in the scientific-philosophical debates of her period, and variously draw on vortex theories of matter in physics; Victorian panpsychisms, fuelled by debates over the continuity of mind in Darwinian evolution; and new conceptions of time as the 'fourth dimension' of space. Victoria Welby significantly advances our understanding of Welby's philosophy, opening paths for future scholarship.
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Keywords

Victoria Welbyhistorical women philosophersVictorian metaphysicspanpsychismtime
Type
Element
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Series: Elements on Women in the History of Philosophy
Online ISBN: 9781009345897
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication: 09 March 2023

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Victoria Welby
  • Emily Thomas, Durham University
  • Online ISBN: 9781009345897
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  • Emily Thomas, Durham University
  • Online ISBN: 9781009345897
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Victoria Welby
  • Emily Thomas, Durham University
  • Online ISBN: 9781009345897
Available formats
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