Cartography, Geodesy, and the Heliocentric Theory: Yves Simonin’s Unpublished Papers
| Résumé |
Yves Simonin, a rather obscure professor of hydrography in Bayonne,
submitted five scientific papers to the Paris Academy of Sciences
between 1738 and 1740, which only survive in the original
manuscript versions. The topics Simonin deals with in these texts
are essentially three: the rectification of navigation charts of
the Southern Sea, the shape of the Earth, and the heliocentric
theory. Far from acknowledging Simonin's contribution to the
ongoing academic debate as a valuable one, the institution
systematically rejected his work. In this paper, I first provide a
critical analysis of Simonin's manuscripts. As I argue, their
originality lies in the adoption of the perspective of a
practitioner of and expert in navigational techniques. I then
investigate the reasons behind the Academy's negative reception of
Simonin's papers, casting light on the expertise required to
participate in academic debates in the mid-18th century, and on the
limits set by the institution to the possibility of external
intervention. |
| Mots-clés |
Heliocentric theory, Isaac Newton, navigation, Paris Academy of Sciences, shape of the Earth, Yves Simonin. |
| Citation | Storni, M. (2020). Cartography, Geodesy, and the Heliocentric Theory: Yves Simonin’s Unpublished Papers. Centaurus, 63(1), 192-209. |
| Type | Article de périodique (Anglais) |
| Date de publication | 18-11-2020 |
| Nom du périodique | Centaurus |
| Volume | 63 |
| Numéro | 1 |
| Pages | 192-209 |