Evolution of Sound : A Part of the Problem of Human Life Here and Hereafter; Containing a Review of Tyndall, Helmholtz, and Mayer (Classic Reprint)

Alexander Wilford Hall’s Evolution of Sound, published in 1877, presents a bold critique of the wave-theory of sound and the broader evolution debate. The volume surveys key scientific authorities, including Tyndall, Helmholtz, and Mayer, and argues for the substantial, or entitative, nature of sound, life, and mind.

Interwoven with discussions of sound, heat, light, and electricity, the work aims to show that scientific evidence can support the idea of immortality and a future state of being. The author questions established theories and offers a provocative alternative view grounded in a corpuscular perspective on sound and its relation to matter and consciousness.

• A detailed critique of the wave-theory of sound and its assumptions


• Arguments that sound may be a substantial, not merely material, phenomenon


• Connections drawn between sound theory, physics, and the question of immortality


• Engagements with Darwinian ideas and other developments in 19th‑century science

Ideal for readers exploring the history of science, philosophy, and the debates surrounding evolution and immortality.