A Preliminary Discourse on the Study of Natural Philosophy

Part I. Of the General Nature and Advantages of the Study of Physical Sciences: 1. Of man 2. Of abstract science 3. Of the nature and objects Part II. Of the Principles on which Physical Science Relies for its Successful Prosecution, and the Rules by which a Systematic Examination of Nature Should be Conducted, with Illustrations of their Influence as Exemplified in the History of its Progress: 4. Of experience 5. Of the analysis of phenomena 6. Of the state of physical science in general 7. Of the observation of facts and the collection of instances 8. Of the classification of natural objects and phenomena 9. Of the first stage of induction 10. Of the higher degrees of inductive generalisation Part III. Of the Subdivision of Physics into Distinct Branches, and their Mutual Relations: 11. Of the phenomena of forces 12. Of the communication of motion through bodies 13. Of cosmical phenomena 14. Of the examination of the material constituents of the world 15. Of the imponderable forms of matter 16. Of the causes of the actual rapid advance of the physical sciences.