Alberto Cappi

INAF Osservatorio Astronomico di Bologna

Abstract

The concept of gravity before Newton

Starting from an analysis of Plutarch’s dialogue De Facie quae in Orbe Lunae apparet and other classical sources, I will describe how, during the Hellenistic period, an original concept of gravity was developed, and how this concept had an influence on the cosmological debate in Antiquity and on later thinkers and scientists before Newton. Among other aspects, I will show the role of this concept in the discussion about the possible existence of other universes.

 

PowerPoint and MP3 of Alberto's presentation

Biographical Details

Alberto Cappi is associate astronomer of the National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) at the Observatory of Bologna in Italy, and chercheur associé at the Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur in France. His research fields are observational cosmology, the large-scale structure of the universe and galaxy clusters. He is also interested in the history of cosmology and in Hellenistic science.