Lisa M. Zeitz, “Natural Theology, Rhetoric, and Revolution: John Ray’s Wisdom of God, 1691-1704.” Eighteenth Century Life 18 1 (1994): 120-133.
This is a nice quick article primarily focused on John Ray’s use of rhetoric in his book, Wisdom of God. Zeitz first looks at the rhetoric of natural theology stressing its wide-spread use in 17th century England. She then looks at Ray’s emphasis on community and cumulative learning in his description of the scientific method. Zeitz notes that this focus on community fits well with the political scene in England after the Glorious Revolution. Latitudinarians pushed for a broad notion of Protestant religion to try to quell discord and insure peace and prosperity after years of civil war and sectarian strife. Cumulative, empirically based knowledge appealed to the common sense of everyone, which, again, promotes tolerance and equality. Zeitz effectively establishes Ray’s use of rhetoric to fit into the society of his time and to promote both his tolerant religious views and his epistemology of science.
