Terrestrial & Celestial Globes. Edward Luther Stevenson. Читать онлайн. Newlib. NEWLIB.NET

Автор: Edward Luther Stevenson
Издательство: Bookwire
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Жанр произведения: Математика
Год издания: 0
isbn: 4064066382780
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Men, however, such as Basil, Gregory of Nyssa, and Philoponos inclined strongly toward the Aristotelian doctrine of a spherical earth.74 Isidore of Seville appears to have been a supporter of the spherical doctrine,75 as was also the Venerable Bede, who, in his ‘De natura rerum,’ upholds the doctrine of a spherical earth on practically the same grounds as those advanced by Aristotle.76

      Fig. 16. The Universe according to Cosmas Indicopleustes, Sixth Century.

      Fig. 17. Cosmas’ Illustration Confuting the Existence of Antipodal Peoples.

      In illustration of the doctrine of a circular earth, terrestrial globes certainly could not have been thought of as having any practical value. With a rejection of the spherical theory of the ancients very naturally went the rejection of their globes.

      The circular or Homeric theory, as noted above, had its supporters, even to the close of the middle ages, but the inclination is more or less marked, even as early as the seventh century, to accept again the doctrine of a spherical earth. It seems to have come into prominence again with the growing belief in the importance of the place of the earth in the universe. After the eighth century this theory may be said to have had a very general acceptance by those who, Faust-like, felt a desire for a larger freedom from theological restraint than the church encouraged. (Figs. 18, 19.)

      Fig. 18. Hereford World Map, ca. 1283.

      Fig. 19. The Earth Pictured as a Sphere by Nicolas d’Oresme, 1377.