The sun., 1900-08-05
GEN. DE PEYsTER ON THE EARTH.
Methods Of the Chemist Contrasted with Those
Of the Astronomer.

To THE EDITOR OF The SUN-Su' In The
Sun OF last Sunday you published a review
At some length Of the pamphlet. The Earth
Stands Fast" While apprecisting your cour-
tesy In the matter. would like to oint out
briefly wherein the real interest and signif-
canoe In the subject lies.
Astronomy has been fertile field for para
doxists." who have advanced the most ohimeri-
cal fancies In the name Of science. The pecu-
liarity Of this pamphlet, however. is that IL
attempts nothing Of this sort. but simply calls
attention to the system of famous astronomer.
Tycho Brahe. which takes its place beside
the Copernican system--distinct from all others
as being absolutely competent to explain.
on mechanical principles known to w. all tha
astronomical facts ascertained by observation
up to the present time. All astronomers con-
cede the trnth OF this assertion. and this con-
cession Il what digniles the Tychonian system
as at least a possible rival Of the Copernican
theory.
| do not know that your review refers 10 this,
although It il the kernel OF the whole matter.
Any reader can satisfy hims elf that astronomers
concnde this competence TO the Tychonian sys-
TEN by referring to the late Prot. r. A. Proctors
article on Astronomy" In the Encyclopaedia
Britannica. Ninth Edition VOL H.. PIP. 777-s).
There Prof. Proctor declares that 1T Ia not
too much to say that Tychos system is not
only fully equal to the Copernican in ia fitness
to explain the observed relations. but that
the arguments for the Tychonian
system, modified so as to correspond to Kepler's
discovery of the shapes OF the different orbits,
| we're almost equal in weight to those used by
the disciples OF Copernic,ls- And after show
tn, hn,y ha Tynbnpian syatann pypllina the
movements OF the heavenly bodies as COM
petently as does the Copernlcan system, Prof.
Proctor has to guard against creating a pref
udce against the dominant system by his
concession. and adds: 1T ia hardly necessary
to point out that the arrangement suggested
BY Copernicus explains the motions Of the sun
and moon as readily as the ITychonicl system.
which presents both these bodies as moving
around the earth"
Hence. in the language OF the pamphlet you
have reviewed. When modern astron-
omer, like the late Prof. Proctor. pleads for the
Copernican system on the ground that 1t Is
the equal Of the Tychonic system In capacity
70 explain observed phonomena. II Is plain
that the TychonIc system iS worthy OF pro-
found respect, and that any r!es In It's favor
deserves serious attention from unbiased
minds" What Proctor COncedcs as 10 the
|
20 concede. unless willing to expose himself
TO a complete refutation on simple geometrical
principles: for, as Proctor says the geometrl-
cal relations are precisely the same for the
two systems. The interest in reconsI Idera-
ton OF TychO's system at this time j. gO.lold,
First-rycho's system Is precisely that which
seems to be assumed IN the Bible, In these
days OF scientific negation and higher crit.
icism" Of the Bible the Bible has been subjected
TO filings on every hand on the ground mat ~
astronomical ideas are primitive. childish
and impossible, But II Ia plain that such a
sneer be,rays the ignorance OF the one indulg-
Ing In 1t. Even granting that NE CoTermcan
fact that the Bible is the only authority which
has handed down from antiquity an asuo-
nomica system which is as competent as the
system Of Coperertcus TO explain the CELESTIAL
movements on perfectly rational mechanical
and mathematical principles. Tycho Brahs
undoubtedly had the Biblical system In view
In forming his own Judgment, and SIMPLY stated
It in the terms OF astronomical science. calling
attention 10 its competenoy TO account Tor al
the known facts. But the believer IN the
proposition: What the Biblical system is.
after all, the true one. since modern science
cannot impeach Its competency, although
in all teIt.bocksf One so bold as to reason
thus might be considered singular In venturing
to hold an opinion contrary TO a universal
in the world, With our present knowledge could
not demonstrate the absurdity OF his opinion.
nor show II TO be less plausible than the popular
one
Seoond-But reconsideration OF Tycho's
theory would also have an iuterestfo for scenl sts
at this time could they free themselves IRON bias
sufficiently 10 examine theory seriously which
is rejected by the common voice. But few
men are free from the tyranny OF scientific
orthodoxy on such a subj leot and whatever
from the fact that 1t involves no scientific alb
surdity. few minds will consider II II II con-
travenes any popular dogma. Yet progress
Just such bold Independence OF Judgment
WHY should scientists now seriously consider
Tycho'4 theory2 Because the current theory
presents difficulties which have remained in
soluble since the davs Of Lapace;
(a) Prof II. Seeliger, Of Munich Germany.
and Or. Carl Neumann have Independently
arrived at mathematical demonstrations that
Newton's law OF universal gravitaton cannot
be an exact law. Of nature in case either ~
that the sum total Of the masses Of the universe
ether OF space as consisting Of a Homogeneous
distribution Of the matter. Their conclusions.
recently accepted by most mathematical scien- |
lists. have added 70 the qneasi9ess REGARDING
lbj Discrepancies between the Newtonian
theory and observation in the cases OF the earth.
the moon. Mercury. Venus and Mars. with the
phenomenon OF repulsion. IN place OF attrac- |
ton, in the case OF the tails Of comets approach;
H1ts as % % FROM n%n e AZ nh have
an undercurrent of scepucism among asron- |
omers themselves. Popular illusions, 70 this |
Will be tound IN TWO drulles Dy Nei-htOWu /
In Popuidr Astronomy May 1897: Prof. Simon |
Newoomb. IN McCMrss Wagofine. July. ls09,,
tc) Our knowledge OF the atoms and MOLE |
c,lles OF matter Ia stl too vague, perhaps, |
10 enable even mind with tho requisite genius |
20 formulate some comprehensive law, the |
various applications OF which will explain on !
as embraced by chemistry, physics and astron- |
omy But already the researches OF chemists |
and electrical experimenters have forced us |
to conceive Of matter as possessing properties |
altogether different from the properties which |
Newton attributed 70 his atoms OF matter. |
attracted by and 70 attract every other particle |
In the universe The bearing OF our present |
knowledge OF the properties OF the atom and |
tie molecue, upon the tenabiity Of Newtons |
conception Of universal gravitation between |
particles, has scarcely been seriously studied |
a vague unrest, inducing an attitude OF
agnoeticism toward all scientific theories on |
the part Of scientists themselves. Is already |
in evidence, Prof, Henry A, Rowland's ad- |
dress as President of the Physical Society OF |
America, delivered Oct, IS, 1899. and printed |
bcr, 1899, is a case in point He merely sums |
up, in popular way. the feeling Of sceptcism |
Respecting accepted scientific theories which |
has been In evidence here and there for some |
time In the writings OF specialists on the physi |
cal sciences. In illustration OF his assertion |
scientist toward accepted theories. since new |
facts may at any time compel their revision or |
complete re ecion, he cites NewtOn's law of |
gravitation as n case OF theory which ls still
mere hypothesis, unsusceptibe OF demonstra- |
tion. He shows that the so-called proofs OF |
the law ia assumed without proof. and there |
fore do not dpmCnsrAte the hypothesis. Thus |