Inquiries into Human Faculty and its Development: Free Audiobook and Listening Guide

Inquiries into Human Faculty and its Development, credited to Sir Francis Galton, is available as a LibriVox volunteer audiobook. This guide identifies the recording, its source summary and its audio tracks.

About the work

The LibriVox catalogue summary, preserved with the recording, reads:

LibriVox recording of Inquiries into Human Faculty and its Development by Sir Francis Galton. Read in English by Leon Harvey Francis Galton, credited with the discovery of identification by fingerprinting, also took a long term interest in the study of biometrics. In this book, many different faculties, both observable and measurable are discussed in length and methods of collecting data suggested. In addition, casual observations from personal memoirs, and drawing similar cases from other reputable sources are also compared. A wide variety of topics are mentioned, including differences in appearance within family members, to subtle habits and emotional responses comparing humans and animals are mentioned in a series of chapter length essays. - Summary by Leon Harvey

Recording facts

• Recording title: Inquiries into Human Faculty and its Development
• Author credits: Sir Francis Galton
• Language: English
• Original MP3 tracks: 14
• Listed recording duration: 10:02:30

Track guide

1. 00 - Preface — 2:41
2. 01 - Section 1. Introduction, Variety of Human Nature, Features, Composite Portraiture, Description of the Composites, Bodily Qualities, Energy, Sensitivity — 47:49
3. 02 - Section 2. Sequence of Test Weights, Whistles for Audibility of Shrill Notes, Anthropometric Registers, Unconsciousness of Peculiarities, Statistical Methods, Character, Criminals and the Insane — 53:09
4. 03 - Section 3. Gregarious and Slavish Instincts, Intellectual Differences, Mental Imagery, Vividness of Mental Imagery — 40:12
5. 04 - Section 4. Colour Representation — 30:24
6. 05 - Section 5. Number Forms — 50:23
7. 06 - Section 6. Colour Associations, Visionaries — 53:23
8. 07 - Section 7. Nature and Nurture, Associations, Psychometric Experiments, Antechamber of Consciousness, Early Sentiments — 55:28
9. 08 - Section 8. History of Twins — 40:04
10. 09 - Section 9. Domestication of Animals — 44:09
11. 10 - Section 10. The Observed Order of Events, Selection and Race, Influence of Man upon Race, Population, Early and Late Marriages, Marks for Family Merit, Endowments, Conclusion — 55:12
12. 11 - Section 11. Appendix 1, Composite Portraiture — 50:30
13. 12 - Section 12. Appendix 2, The Relative Supplies from Town and Country Families to the Population of Future Generations, An Apparatus For Testing The Delicacy With Which Weights Can Be Discriminated By Handling Them, Whistles For Testing The Upper Limits Of Audible Sound In Different Individuals, Questions On Visualising And Other Allied Faculties — 33:21
14. 13 - Section 13. Addenda: Restored Sections, Enthusiasm, Possibilities of Theocratic Intervention, Statistical Inquiries Into The Efficacy Of Prayer — 45:45

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Source and rights

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