Chauncey Wright

Chauncey Wright ( born September 10, 1830 in Northampton, Massachusetts, † September 12, 1875 in Cambridge, Massachusetts ) was an American mathematician and philosopher.

Wright graduated in 1852 from his degree at Harvard University and was a mathematician " calculator " (English computer ) at the American Ephemeris and Nautical Almanac, a publication for forecasting nautical and astronomical data. As a mathematician, he was known for contributions to mathematical and physical issues in the journal " Mathematical Monthly ". At the same time he published on philosophical topics about John Stuart Mill, Charles Darwin and Herbert Spencer.

In 1870/71 he gave lectures on psychology at Harvard University. Wright is considered as an independent thinker who took the particular thoughts Mills and Darwin's evolutionary theory. These are his essays on the "Evolution of self-consciousness " ( The Evolution of Self-Consciousness ) and the " Origin of Species " ( Genesis of Species ). The latter essay is a defense of the theory of evolution against St. George Mivart and appeared on the recommendation of Darwin. From 1863 to 1870 Wright was secretary and secretary of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He was a member of the Charles S. Peirce and William James founded in Cambridge discussion group, the so-called " Metaphysical Club". In his last year he lectured on mathematical physics at Harvard University.

Posthumously published his essays in an anthology (1877 ) and his correspondence ( 1878).