[COMPLETE] Natural Theology by William Paley - tg

[BarryGanong]

Section 6 is finished (20:15):

https://librivox.org/uploads/triciag/naturaltheology_06_paley_128kb.mp3

As a biochemist (biochymist?) it's interesting to see the state of understanding of physiology two centuries ago, but also the remarkable degree of familiarity with current knowledge in a clergyman like Paley. Ah for the days when one educated person could be master of current knowledge in so many fields!

[silverquill]

Section 6 is finished (20:15):

https://librivox.org/uploads/triciag/naturaltheology_06_paley_128kb.mp3

As a biochemist (biochymist?) it's interesting to see the state of understanding of physiology two centuries ago, but also the remarkable degree of familiarity with current knowledge in a clergyman like Paley. Ah for the days when one educated person could be master of current knowledge in so many fields!

His insights are fascinating! I imagine the true function of, say the liver with its 500 functions, was hardly suspected. But his recognition of the basic function of glands, and that there was something hinted at like enzymes, is nonetheless remarkable. And, that at times our ignorance is as much evidence of a "contriver" as is our knowledge, is powerful. And, the deeper and more detailed our knowledge of both the micro and macro universe gets, the more the sense of awe increases. Or so it is with me.

BTW - PL OK.

[BarryGanong]

With me as well. He moves on to interesting observations on bones in section 7 (21:44):

https://librivox.org/uploads/triciag/naturaltheology_07_paley_128kb.mp3

[silverquill]

With me as well. He moves on to interesting observations on bones in section 7 (21:44):

https://librivox.org/uploads/triciag/naturaltheology_07_paley_128kb.mp3

PL OK.

[BarryGanong]

Section 8 is ready (16:07):

https://librivox.org/uploads/triciag/naturaltheology_08_paley_128kb.mp3

[silverquill]

Section 8 is ready (16:07):

https://librivox.org/uploads/triciag/naturaltheology_08_paley_128kb.mp3

This is PL OK

[BarryGanong]

I'm temporarily skipping section 9, which ends with a 6-line quote in Latin, for which Connie and I are working on a translation. In the meantime, here's section 10 (21:18):

https://librivox.org/uploads/triciag/naturaltheology_10_paley_128kb.mp3

(I notice I forgot to include the phrase "part one" after the chapter title. I'll be sure to put "part two" in the next section. Would it be worth it to add it to this recording? It would be trivial.)

[TriciaG]

Translation? Or pronunciation?

Unfortunately, we read the texts as written, which means no "reader translation". If the author included a translation in a footnote or something, we could include it, but we don't add our own.

[BarryGanong]

Okay, I see. In some Librivox recordings we've listened to, there are what are quoted as "Reader's note:...etc." and I thought a translation could be such a thing.

[silverquill]

I'm temporarily skipping section 9, which ends with a 6-line quote in Latin, for which Connie and I are working on a translation. In the meantime, here's section 10 (21:18):

https://librivox.org/uploads/triciag/naturaltheology_10_paley_128kb.mp3

(I notice I forgot to include the phrase "part one" after the chapter title. I'll be sure to put "part two" in the next section. Would it be worth it to add it to this recording? It would be trivial.)

Yes, I would advise putting Part I in both the intro and outro to make it clear to the listener.
I also hear quite a bit of background hiss in this one, so you might also consider some noise reduction.

Sorry about the Latin, but just do the best you can. It's a dead language anyway, so no one is really fluent in the spoken word.

[BarryGanong]

I made some changes:

First, I did noise reduction using the blank space at the end. If you still hear hissing, let me know where so I can use it for the noise sample. I do hear a kind of ringing only when I'm talking (I hear it also in some of the other sections, but not as noticeably). Is that what you're hearing? Since it's only when I'm talking, I don't think I can get a sample for noise reduction. Help?

I added "quotes" around the short quote at minute 13, to make it clear where it ends.

I added "part one" to the intro after the chapter title (as I had done for sections 3, 4, 7, and 8). But in my plan for the book, I had thought to make the outros simply "end section #" for the following reason. "Part one" etc. identifies parts of chapters occupying multiple sections, so when I record the chapter titles in the intro, I note parts one, two, etc. If I were to include chapter titles in the outros, I would note their "parts" there. But since some sections actually have two chapters (with fairly long names), I had thought it better not to include chapter titles in the outros, so "part one" and so forth would only be in the intro. But I'm not wedded to this plan, and if you think titles with part numbers should also be in the outros, I should go back and add them to the first eight sections as well. That wouldn't be much work. What do you think?

[silverquill]

First, did you upload the new recording? Sounds the same to me.

Looking this over, I think you are fine with the outros the way they are, since you are using "Section" and identifying the chapters and part in the intro.

[BarryGanong]

Sorry, no, I was waiting for your direction re outros. It's uploaded now (21:20):

https://librivox.org/uploads/triciag/naturaltheology_10_paley_128kb.mp3

I can't tell a difference in the background sound. I notice that before doing sections 8 and 10, I had increased the gain on my mike for another recording project. I wonder if that may account for some hiss; I've played with it and can't tell for sure. If you still hear it, I could back off on my mike and re-record it.

[silverquill]

Oh, okay. This is perfectly PL OK. Background sounds fine.

They didn't quite understand the O2 CO2 exchange in lungs, but enough to illustrate "contrivance."

Carry on!

[BarryGanong]

Yes. Though Priestley discovered CO2, and is in contention for the discovery of O2, I think it was Lavoisier, not much more than ten years before Paley wrote this book, who explained the relationship between the two in respiration. Still it's remarkable how current Paley was.

Here's section 9, Latin and all (31:21):

https://librivox.org/uploads/triciag/naturaltheology_09_paley_128kb.mp3