What do you think?
Rate this book
Between Copernicus and Galileo: Christoph Clavius and the Collapse of Ptolemaic Cosmology
Between Copernicus and Galileo is the story of Christoph Clavius, the Jesuit astronomer and teacher whose work helped set the standards by which Galileo's famous claims appeared so radical, and whose teachings guided the intellectual and scientific agenda of the Church in the central years of the Scientific Revolution.
Though relatively unknown today, Clavius was enormously influential throughout Europe in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries through his astronomy books—the standard texts used in many colleges and universities, and the tools with which Descartes, Gassendi, and Mersenne, among many others, learned their astronomy. James Lattis uses Clavius's own publications as well as archival materials to trace the central role Clavius played in integrating traditional Ptolemaic astronomy and Aristotelian natural philosophy into an orthodox cosmology. Although Clavius strongly resisted the new cosmologies of Copernicus and Tycho, Galileo's invention of the telescope ultimately eroded the Ptolemaic world view.
By tracing Clavius's views from medieval cosmology the seventeenth century, Lattis illuminates the conceptual shift from Ptolemaic to Copernican astronomy and the social, intellectual, and theological impact of the Scientific Revolution.
Though relatively unknown today, Clavius was enormously influential throughout Europe in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries through his astronomy books—the standard texts used in many colleges and universities, and the tools with which Descartes, Gassendi, and Mersenne, among many others, learned their astronomy. James Lattis uses Clavius's own publications as well as archival materials to trace the central role Clavius played in integrating traditional Ptolemaic astronomy and Aristotelian natural philosophy into an orthodox cosmology. Although Clavius strongly resisted the new cosmologies of Copernicus and Tycho, Galileo's invention of the telescope ultimately eroded the Ptolemaic world view.
By tracing Clavius's views from medieval cosmology the seventeenth century, Lattis illuminates the conceptual shift from Ptolemaic to Copernican astronomy and the social, intellectual, and theological impact of the Scientific Revolution.
- GenresHistory Of Science
314 pages, Paperback
First published December 12, 1995
2 people are currently reading
17 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 4, 2015
This outstanding piece of scholarship is well worth the effort it will take to get your head around the way Ptolemaic cosmology viewed the universe. Lattis uses the first two chapters, where you'll learn everything you ever wanted to know about epicycles and eccentrics, as a basis to present a complex and fascinating treatment of medieval astronomy.
Lattis explains that Clavius, while not an especially noted astronomical observer, had the gift of being able to interpret data gathered by others. Then, using mathematical techniques, Clavius endeavoured to explain what that data meant. Most importantly, Clavius made predictions based on the data (e.g., eclipses) that were empirically verifiable with the instruments available at the time.
Clavius was concerned with "true human comprehension of the created world." Like most Catholics of his day, he was also a believer in the literal interpretation of the Bible. Lattis's treatment of this dichotomy, not just for Clavius but for characters as diverse as Bellarmine and Galileo, is balanced, thoughtful and, above all, non-judgemental. The relationships between these three people are portrayed sympathetically and realistically.
It is said that relationships are hard even on good days, and this must have been the case for medieval astronomers. To read about the respectful way both Bellarmine and Galileo treated Clavius, despite their differences, is heart-warming. That said, the Ptolemaic, Copernican and Tychonian schools of thought all had to deal with the telescope, and that meant the differences between the three schools of thought were non-trivial.
I hope Lattis finds the time and energy to write about the development of the Gregorian calendar. If that happens, I will be first in the queue to read it.
Lattis explains that Clavius, while not an especially noted astronomical observer, had the gift of being able to interpret data gathered by others. Then, using mathematical techniques, Clavius endeavoured to explain what that data meant. Most importantly, Clavius made predictions based on the data (e.g., eclipses) that were empirically verifiable with the instruments available at the time.
Clavius was concerned with "true human comprehension of the created world." Like most Catholics of his day, he was also a believer in the literal interpretation of the Bible. Lattis's treatment of this dichotomy, not just for Clavius but for characters as diverse as Bellarmine and Galileo, is balanced, thoughtful and, above all, non-judgemental. The relationships between these three people are portrayed sympathetically and realistically.
It is said that relationships are hard even on good days, and this must have been the case for medieval astronomers. To read about the respectful way both Bellarmine and Galileo treated Clavius, despite their differences, is heart-warming. That said, the Ptolemaic, Copernican and Tychonian schools of thought all had to deal with the telescope, and that meant the differences between the three schools of thought were non-trivial.
I hope Lattis finds the time and energy to write about the development of the Gregorian calendar. If that happens, I will be first in the queue to read it.
January 25, 2022
I wanted to learn more about Christoph Clavius, the Jesuit who contributed significantly to the Gregorian calendar reform, which is a standing [interest of mine](https://rixx.de/blog/while-history-co...). It turns out that this book intentionally avoids that topic, to talk more about cosmology and how the intellectual state of the art was just before Galileo happened to it.
Due to this, I only skimmed some of the chapters that were very much only about cosmology. As I'm not a historian, I was more interested in Clavius as a person, as well as the organisational structure he was active in. I liked those parts, and notes follow as always. I did appreciate the more political parts of the cosmology chapters, though – especially the point that historical cosmology is very varied and not just a thousand-year blob of Ptolemy was illustrated nicely.
## Notes
### Clavius
First, I have a bone to pick. Nobody knows what Clavius's common name was, and so there's speculation. One version is "something sounding similar", the other is "something with similar meaning". The second option seems vastly, *vastly* more likely – latinisation was extremely common (cf Johannes Schreck, known as Terrentius), *plus* early sources list his name as Clavis. The debate about this is stupid and I'll stop having opinions now. (But seriously. Please. Wikipedia pretends these options are equally likely, or the first more likely.)
Clavius was one of the early Jesuits, invested by Iggy himself, and founded the study of mathematics and astronomy within the order. He published a lot, particularly about the calendar reform, but also about cosmology. He was seen as the Euclid of his times (maybe). He defended Ptolemy in all things, and published criticisms of Copernicus, back while the Jesuits were free to argue their opinion (starting in 1611, the general of the Society ordered everybody to defend Aristotle no matter what).
His part of the calendar reform started by comparing suggested solutions (a lot, since the problem had been known for centuries), and explaining them to the commission. He also published seven works explaining and defending the reform.
Galileo respected Clavius a lot, despite their disagreements (about which he wrote very condescendingly about Clavius's high age being the reason for his lack of understanding). But he had a point – Clavius was very old by then, in his 70s, and hence you kind of have to wonder why this was considered a good topic for a book. But hey, not a historian.
### Jesuits
The Jesuits were founded in a time that gave them one of their most important traits: reacting against the perceived sterility of the scholastics, everybody was very into utility and practical results. The Jesuits (founded, after all, by somebody *very* practical) took this attitude and ran with it, until it nearly destroyed them. I need a book about that part, btw!
An interest in mathematics, astronomy and their practical uses is very consistent with this, as is the focus on teaching, as is the general Jesuit obsession with turning out well-educated people with intellectual orientations.
The Jesuits were in contact with Galileo, replicating and confirming his observations very early on with a lot of diligence, which I found very interesting.
Due to this, I only skimmed some of the chapters that were very much only about cosmology. As I'm not a historian, I was more interested in Clavius as a person, as well as the organisational structure he was active in. I liked those parts, and notes follow as always. I did appreciate the more political parts of the cosmology chapters, though – especially the point that historical cosmology is very varied and not just a thousand-year blob of Ptolemy was illustrated nicely.
## Notes
### Clavius
First, I have a bone to pick. Nobody knows what Clavius's common name was, and so there's speculation. One version is "something sounding similar", the other is "something with similar meaning". The second option seems vastly, *vastly* more likely – latinisation was extremely common (cf Johannes Schreck, known as Terrentius), *plus* early sources list his name as Clavis. The debate about this is stupid and I'll stop having opinions now. (But seriously. Please. Wikipedia pretends these options are equally likely, or the first more likely.)
Clavius was one of the early Jesuits, invested by Iggy himself, and founded the study of mathematics and astronomy within the order. He published a lot, particularly about the calendar reform, but also about cosmology. He was seen as the Euclid of his times (maybe). He defended Ptolemy in all things, and published criticisms of Copernicus, back while the Jesuits were free to argue their opinion (starting in 1611, the general of the Society ordered everybody to defend Aristotle no matter what).
His part of the calendar reform started by comparing suggested solutions (a lot, since the problem had been known for centuries), and explaining them to the commission. He also published seven works explaining and defending the reform.
Galileo respected Clavius a lot, despite their disagreements (about which he wrote very condescendingly about Clavius's high age being the reason for his lack of understanding). But he had a point – Clavius was very old by then, in his 70s, and hence you kind of have to wonder why this was considered a good topic for a book. But hey, not a historian.
### Jesuits
The Jesuits were founded in a time that gave them one of their most important traits: reacting against the perceived sterility of the scholastics, everybody was very into utility and practical results. The Jesuits (founded, after all, by somebody *very* practical) took this attitude and ran with it, until it nearly destroyed them. I need a book about that part, btw!
An interest in mathematics, astronomy and their practical uses is very consistent with this, as is the focus on teaching, as is the general Jesuit obsession with turning out well-educated people with intellectual orientations.
The Jesuits were in contact with Galileo, replicating and confirming his observations very early on with a lot of diligence, which I found very interesting.
November 13, 2022
A very interesting study on Clavius' positions in cosmology, and on his academic relationship with other scientists. I particularly found the study of the debate between solid spheres and fluid stars interesting, which hasn't been presented well by other books I've read covering the history of science of this period.
Well worth a read for anyone already versed in the works of Copernicus, Tycho and Galileo.
Well worth a read for anyone already versed in the works of Copernicus, Tycho and Galileo.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews