Honoré Fabri and the Concept of Impetus: A Bridge between Paradigms (Boston Studies in the Philosophy of Science, 288)

This book discusses the impetus-based physics of the Jesuit natural philosopher and mathematician Honoré Fabri (1608-1688), a senior representative of Jesuit scientists during the period between Galileo's death (1642) and Newton's Principia (1687). It shows how Fabri, while remaining loyal to a general Aristotelian outlook, managed to reinterpret the old concept of “impetus” in such a way as to assimilate into his physics building blocks of modern science, like Galileo’s law of fall and Descartes’ principle of inertia. This account of Fabri’s theory is a novel one, since his physics is commonly considered as a dogmatic rejection of the New Science, not essentially different from the medieval impetus theory. This book shows how New Science principles were taught in Jesuit Colleges in the 1640s, thus depicting the sophisticated manner in which new ideas were settling within the lion’s den of Catholic education. Cover 1 Boston Studies in the Philosophy of Science 288 3 Honoré Fabri and the Concept of Impetus: A Bridge between Paradigms 4 ISBN 9789400716049 5 Honoré Fabri: A Short Biography 6 References 9 Introduction 12 References 25 Contents 28 Part I Basic Concepts 32 1 Introduction: The Primacy of Impetus 34 References 38 2 Methodology and Main Texts 40 References 46 3 Motion 48 3.1 Motion and fluxus 48 3.2 Motion as a Relation 54 3.3 Motion as actus entis in potentia 57 References 59 4 Impetus 62 4.1 Theory of Qualities 63 4.2 The Non-Modal Accidents: Impetus and Heat 65 4.3 The Relation Between Impetus and Motion 68 References 75 5 Fabri's Impetus and the Scholastic Tradition 78 5.1 Thomas Aquinas and Formal Causality 79 5.2 Franciscus Marchia and the vis derelicta 82 5.3 Jean Buridan and the Permanent Impetus 87 References 90 Part II Natural Motion 92 6 Fabri and the ``Second Galilean Affair'' 94 References 97 7 Criticizing Aristotle 98 7.1 Relinquishing Levity 98 7.2 The Internal Cause of Natural Motion 101 References 108 8 The Law of Natural Numbers 110 References 117 9 Fabri's Discrete Analysis 118 9.1 The Concept of Physical Instant 118 9.2 A Medieval Approach? 122 References 126 10 The Assimilation of Galileo's Theory 128 10.1 Galileo's Definition of Uniformly Accelerated Motion 128 10.2 The Convergence to Galileo's Odd Numbers Law 131 References 136 11 Fabri's Assimilation Strategies 138 11.1 Strategy No. 1: Discreetness Vs. Continuity 139 11.2 Strategy No. 2: Neutralizing Impetus 143 References 147 Part III Violent Motion 150 12 Fabri and Conservation of Rectilinear Motion 152 References 155 13 The Conservation and Inexhaustibility of Impetus 158 References 164 14 Motion in the Void 166 14.1 De loco and the Defense of Void 168 14.2 De vacuo and the ``Inertial Thought Experiment'' 171 14.3 Attacking Aristotle's Objections to the Void 176 14.3.1 Objection 1 -- Instantaneous Motion 176 14.3.2 Objection 2 -- Persistence of Projectiles 179 14.3.3 Objection 3 -- Universal Velocity in the Void 180 14.3.4 Objection 4 -- CRM 182 References 184 15 The Inherent Linearity of Impetus 188 15.1 Impetus and determinatio 188 15.2 Circular Motion: An ``Impeded'' Straight Motion 195 References 198 16 Projectile Motion and the Rejection of Superposition 200 16.1 The Basics of Fabri's Projectile Theory 202 16.2 Trajectories of Projectiles: The frustra Mechanism 211 References 218 Part IV Fabri and the Eucharist 220 17 The Twofold Mystery of the Eucharist 222 References 226 18 De accidente: Impetus and the Accidents Problem 228 18.1 Impetus -- The Substitute for Substance 230 18.2 ``Atomistic'' Heresy 238 References 241 19 Physica: Solution of the Real Presence Problem 242 19.1 The Importance of Impenetrability 242 19.2 The Division of Quantity 245 19.3 The Exile of Real Presence to Metaphysics 249 19.4 Transubstantiation and Descartes' Condemnation 253 19.5 ``Prudent Infidels'' 257 References 258 Conclusion 262 References 277 Appendix: The Proof of Convergence to Galileo's Law of Fall 280 References 284 Index 286 9400716044,9789400716049 Springer 2011 Front Matter....Pages i-xxix Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Introduction: The Primacy of Impetus....Pages 3-7 Methodology and Main Texts....Pages 9-16 Motion....Pages 17-29 Impetus....Pages 31-45 Fabri’s Impetus and the Scholastic Tradition....Pages 47-60 Front Matter....Pages 61-61 Fabri and the “Second Galilean Affair”....Pages 63-66 Criticizing Aristotle....Pages 67-78 The Law of Natural Numbers....Pages 79-86 Fabri’s Discrete Analysis....Pages 87-96 The Assimilation of Galileo’s Theory....Pages 97-105 Fabri’s Assimilation Strategies....Pages 107-117 Front Matter....Pages 119-119 Fabri and Conservation of Rectilinear Motion....Pages 121-125 The Conservation and Inexhaustibility of Impetus....Pages 127-133 Motion in the Void....Pages 135-155 The Inherent Linearity of Impetus....Pages 157-168 Projectile Motion and the Rejection of Superposition....Pages 169-187 Front Matter....Pages 189-189 The Twofold Mystery of the Eucharist....Pages 191-195 De accidente : Impetus and the Accidents Problem....Pages 197-210 Physica : Solution of the Real Presence Problem....Pages 211-229 Back Matter....Pages 231-259 This book discusses the impetus-based physics of the Jesuit natural philosopher and mathematician Honore Fabri (1608-1688), a senior representative of Jesuit scientists during the period between Galileo's death (1642) and Newton's Principia (1687). Pt. 1. Basic Concepts -- Pt. 2. Natural Motion -- Pt. 3. Violent Motion -- Pt. 4. Fabri And The Eucharist. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.