ABSTRACT
The increasing attention has been brought to bear within the cognitive science community on the primacy of narrative as a fundamental mode by which the mind develops self-awareness and acquires a sense of identity. This chapter sets out the cultural and intellectual stage for the central question: How is it that the inwardly-directed study of the self can be connected so vitally to the outwardly-directed study of nature? It considers the extraordinary popularity of autobiographical writing and natural science writing during the nineteenth century. The chapter examines the scientific dimension of autobiographical writing and the autobiographical dimension of natural science writing. It describes the fault lines that begin to form between the scientific and literary communities during the Romantic era and the ensuing acrimony between the “two cultures” that makes any reasonable discussion about literature and science so difficult.
