42 The Poetry of Physics and The Physics of Poetry
become more aggressive in making observations as a result of the
experiments they conducted. Even the astronomical observations made
by Tycho Brahe, which led to the results of Kepler and Newton had
never been made so carefully and systematically. Before turning to this
question let us first investigate how the renewal of interest in ancient
Greek learning in general and science in particular played out.
Interest in science waned in Europe with the coming of Christianity
as men’s interest turned to theology. Christian theology at first adopted
the philosophy of Plato synthesized by the Neo-platonist Plotinus. The
emphasis of this theology was on faith as is exemplified by the teaching
of St. Augustine. The Islamic thinkers, on the other hand, also adopted
the philosophy of Aristotle. In the 12th and 13th century Christian
theologians begin involving reason to defend the faith and like the
Islamic thinkers also adopted the philosophy of Aristotle. The synthesis
of Christian theology and Aristotelian philosophy was begun by Roscelin
and Abelard and culminated with St. Thomas Aquinas whose teachings
still forms the basis of present day Catholic theology.
With its adoption by the Church, Aristotelian philosophy once again
played a dominant role in the thinking of the time. But now that authority
had to be shared with the Church, which had certain dogmas to defend
such as the omnipotence of God. It was for this reason that the Bishop of
Paris in 1277 ruled that three of Aristotle’s concepts that purported to
limit the powers of God were wrong. These included the notion that a
void is impossible, that the universe is finite and that a plurality of
worlds cannot exist. The influence of this ruling was to neutralize the
absolute authority that the work of Aristotle had commanded.
Probably the first effect of this new atmosphere was the change in the
14th century of the Aristotelian concept of motion proposed by three of
the proponents of the impetus theory, namely, Jean Buridan of Paris,
Albert of Saxony and Nicholas of Oresme. Aristotle believed that all
earthly motion required the constant application of a force. According to
the impetus theory the forerunner of our modern theory of inertia, if an
impetus is given to a body it will move of its own accord for some time
but it eventually comes to rest once the impetus has worn off. It is similar
to putting an iron sword in the fire. It is hot while it is in the fire and
retains its heat for a while after it is withdrawn from the fire but
eventually it cools off. In the same way, according to the new impetus
theory once a body is in motion it will continue to move for a while until
its motion or impetus wears off and it gradually comes to rest.