The Uncertain Heavens: Christiaan Huygens’ Ideas of Extraterrestrial Life

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29 pointsPetiver5 comments

Hadn't heard much about this guy before, real smart cookie! Amazing to think of him building and operating that 'Tubeless aerial telescope' back in 1684, 336 years ago!

Such a hackery-stance on accepting new knowledge too, and this (one of his critics):

"Many thinkers, such as the English clergyman Joseph Glanvill, saw the acceptance of things not known for sure as the thin end of a wedge that would prise open a world of atheism."

Quite an insight!

I disagree. Christianity, at least, is healthier when it embraces uncertainty.

I agree with that, sure, but it also makes it less strong in the memetic fight against ideas of atheism

Indeed. Huygens also is responsible in large part for the use of math in physics and also experimented with early internal combustion engines - criminally underappreciated!

This article was a treat.

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