This collection of essays explores the phenomenon of spontaneous combustion from a range of scientific and philosophical perspectives. Hexamer examines cases of spontaneous combustion in a variety of contexts, from coal mines and oil refineries to human bodies and haystacks. He also considers the broader implications of spontaneous combustion for our understanding of nature and the universe. An intriguing and thought-provoking work of science and philosophy. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.