What Does Thomas Burnet's Arrow Mean
Thomas Burnet’s Integration of Arrows and Cycles
According to Gould, modern geology textbooks mischaracterize Thomas Burnet as “the archetype of a biblical idolatry that reined the progress of science,” (1987:23). This was supported by writings of Fenton, who dismissed his theory as divine interventions to explain Earth’s development, and Hutton, who depicted Burnet’s book as “poetic fiction” (Fenton, 1952:22, Hutton, 1795:271). However, Burnet’s ideas particularly relied on physical principles and attempted to explain a biblical interpretation of Earth through a natural science framework. Furthermore, his ideas contrast one of the most influential scholars of his time, Issac Newton, widely renowned for his revolutionary advances in mathematics and science (Gould, 1987). While Newton’s ideas about Earth emphasized divine intervention, Burnet insisted an explanation existed through “natural law” (Gould, 1987:38-41). Thus, Gould argues that scholars misinterpreted Burnet’s religiously inspired theories blinded by religion’s “intrusion” in scientific matters, and that his argument should be considered (1987:26). …show more content…
While Burnet primarily focused on the linear biblical history of Earth (‘time’s arrow’), it is clear that components of ‘time’s cycle’ are also prominent in his writings and the Bible (Burnet, 1691:13). Though Burnet’s narrative lacked clear empirical evidence—a key criticism that ultimately led to the demise of ‘time’s arrow’— he described "the great circle of time and fate,” where the biblical Paradise would be recovered once again in the future (1987: 27, 46). Despite religion’s role in ‘time’s arrow,’ this linear vision of time was also crucial to scientific progression (1987:11-12). While these metaphors deeply contradict, a clear division between them is lacking and both concepts are needed to thoroughly discuss the development of geological
According to Gould, modern geology textbooks mischaracterize Thomas Burnet as “the archetype of a biblical idolatry that reined the progress of science,” (1987:23). This was supported by writings of Fenton, who dismissed his theory as divine interventions to explain Earth’s development, and Hutton, who depicted Burnet’s book as “poetic fiction” (Fenton, 1952:22, Hutton, 1795:271). However, Burnet’s ideas particularly relied on physical principles and attempted to explain a biblical interpretation of Earth through a natural science framework. Furthermore, his ideas contrast one of the most influential scholars of his time, Issac Newton, widely renowned for his revolutionary advances in mathematics and science (Gould, 1987). While Newton’s ideas about Earth emphasized divine intervention, Burnet insisted an explanation existed through “natural law” (Gould, 1987:38-41). Thus, Gould argues that scholars misinterpreted Burnet’s religiously inspired theories blinded by religion’s “intrusion” in scientific matters, and that his argument should be considered (1987:26). …show more content…
While Burnet primarily focused on the linear biblical history of Earth (‘time’s arrow’), it is clear that components of ‘time’s cycle’ are also prominent in his writings and the Bible (Burnet, 1691:13). Though Burnet’s narrative lacked clear empirical evidence—a key criticism that ultimately led to the demise of ‘time’s arrow’— he described "the great circle of time and fate,” where the biblical Paradise would be recovered once again in the future (1987: 27, 46). Despite religion’s role in ‘time’s arrow,’ this linear vision of time was also crucial to scientific progression (1987:11-12). While these metaphors deeply contradict, a clear division between them is lacking and both concepts are needed to thoroughly discuss the development of geological