The gradual acceptance of the Copernican theory of the universeStimson, Dorothy
History
The gradual acceptance of the Copernican theory of the universe
Stimson, Dorothy
Astronomy -- History; Copernicus, Nicolaus, 1473-1543; Solar system
Pope Urban had no intention of concealing Galileo's abjuration and
sentence. Instead, he ordered copies of both to be sent to all
inquisitors and papal nuncios that they might notify all their clergy
and especially all the professors of mathematics and philosophy within
their districts, particularly those at Florence, Padua and Pisa.[286]
This was done during the summer and fall of 1633. From Wilna in
Poland, Cologne, Paris, Brussels, and Madrid, as well as from all
Italy, came the replies of the papal officials stating that the order
had been obeyed.[287] He evidently intended to leave no ground for a
remark like that of Fromundus about the earlier condemnation.
[Footnote 286: Doc. in Favaro: 101, 103.]
[Footnote 287: Ibid: 104-132.]
Galileo was thus brought so low that the famous remark, "Eppur si
muove," legend reports him to have made as he rose to his feet after
his abjuration, is incredible in itself, even if it had appeared in
history earlier than its first publication in 1761.[288] But his
discoveries and his fight in defence of the system did much both to
strengthen the doctrine itself and to win adherents to it. The
appearance of the moon as seen through a telescope destroyed the
Aristotelian notion of the perfection of heavenly bodies. Jupiter's
satellites gave proof by analogy of the solar system, though on a
smaller scale. The discovery of the phases of Venus refuted a hitherto
strong objection to the Copernican system; and the discovery of the
spots on the sun led to his later discovery of the sun's axial
rotation, another proof by analogy of the axial rotation of the earth.
Yet he swore the Ptolemaic conception was the true one.
[Footnote 288: Fahie: 325, note.]
The abjuration of Galileo makes a pitiful page in the history of
thought and has been a fruitful source of controversy[289] for nearly
three centuries. He was unquestionably a sincere and loyal Catholic,
and accordingly submitted to the punishment decreed by the
authorities. But in his abjuration he plainly perjured himself,
however fully he may be pardoned for it because of the extenuating
circumstances. Had he not submitted and been straitly imprisoned, if
not burned, the world would indeed have been the poorer by the loss
of his greatest work, the _Dialoghi delle Nuove Scienze_, which he did
not publish until 1636.[290]
[Footnote 289: For full statement, see Martin: 133-207.]
[Footnote 290: Gebler: 263.]
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