Region II: Brand new Catholic Tradition and Science
Draper and you can Light excoriated the brand new Catholic Church because of its focus on dogma and divine revelation
Despite this mountain out of evidence, White depicts the whole Religious culture once the dedicated to flat-eartherism, and presents Lactantius and you will Cosmas because typical. To incorporate a touch of drama, he enters Arizona Irving’s imaginary account of Christopher Columbus battling unsuccessfully so you’re able to convince Catholic priests and you can faculty that earth is spherical at the College or university off Salamanca into the 1487:
The newest warfare out of Columbus the country knows really . . . exactly how sundry wise males out-of The country of spain experienced your towards the typical quotations regarding the Psalms, out of St. Paul, and you may out of St. Augustine; just how, even after he had been victorious, and you will once his trip got considerably bolstered the concept of your world’s sphericity . . . the brand new Church by its highest power solemnly came and continued within the heading astray.
Whatever they argued try how big our planet, maybe not its shape. Columbus thought it actually was brief sufficient he you certainly will come to Asia with sufficient supplies, if you’re their opponents realized it absolutely was bigger (as well as their quotes of your World’s circumference was somewhat accurate). Just what neither front side may have identified is you to anywhere between European countries and you will China lay new Americas (fortunately to have Columbus). (mehr …)