Conversations on the Plurality of Worlds
by Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle
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Surveying the night sky, a charming philosopher and his hostess, the Marquise, are considering thep ossibility of travelers from the moon. "What if they were skillful enough to navigate on the outer surface of our air, and from there, through their curiosity to see us, they angled for us like fish? Would that please you?" asks the philosopher. "Why not?" the Marquise replies. "As for me, I'd put myself into their nets of my own volition just to have the pleasure of seeing those who caught show more me."In this imaginary conversation of three hundred years ago, readers can share the excitement of a new, extremely daring view of the uinverse. Conversations on the Plurality of Worlds (Entretiens sur la pluralitø des mondes), first published in 1686, is one of the best loved classics of the early French enlightenment. Through a series of informal dialogues that take place on successive evenings in the marquise's moonlit gardens, Fontenelle describes the new cosmology of the Copernican world view with matchles clarity, imagination, and wit. Moreover, he boldly makes his interlocutor a woman, inviting female participation in the almost exclusively male province of scientific discourse. The popular Fontenelle lived through an entire century, from 1657 to 1757, and wrote prolifically. H. A. Hargreaves's fresh, appealing translation brings the author's masterpiece to new generations of readers, while the introduction by Nina Rattner Gelbart clearly demonstrates the importance of the Conversations for the history of science, of women, of literature, and of French civilization, and for the popularization of culture. show lessTags
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A charming mix of philosophy & the science of astronomy from 1686. Fontenelle playfully & joyfully explores known & theorized scientific facts of the time concerning the universe. At times, he is spookily prescient. How I wish he could be alive today to see & wonder at the scientific strides we humans have made into space exploration. I imagine he would be awed & thrilled at the known, while positing even more theories & questions as to what still lies unknown. It makes me smile to even imagine him witnessing a space shuttle expedition or the preparations of sending people to Mars.
Even though written centuries ago, it reawakens the joy, imagination, & intellect at viewing & trying to understand not only Earth but the entire universe. show more Kudos to our scientists & thinkers of the past, present, & future. A complete delight. show less
Even though written centuries ago, it reawakens the joy, imagination, & intellect at viewing & trying to understand not only Earth but the entire universe. show more Kudos to our scientists & thinkers of the past, present, & future. A complete delight. show less
Des entretiens entre Fontenelle et une belle marquise, le soir, au fond du jardin à la campagne. Et de là se déploie tout le nouveau système astronomique, fondé sur l'héliocentrisme et l'infinité de l'univers. On y parle aussi de la nature corpusculaire de la lumière, on y explique les éclipses, on s'imagine les habitants des différentes planètes. Tout cela de la plus élégante façon. Avec quelques jolis idées comme celle que les esprits perdus des lunatiques de la terre se trouvent entreposés sur la Lune.
La marquise se laisse emporter par l'élan : "Achevez de me rendre folle, je ne me ménage plus, je ne connais plus de retenue sur la philosophie ; laissons parler le monde, et donnons-nous aux tourbillons" show more (astronomiques). Même si parfois elle est troublée, épouvantée même devant l'immensité de l'univers.
Bref un texte fort plaisant qui atteint son but d'enseignement mais avec quelle grâce ! show less
La marquise se laisse emporter par l'élan : "Achevez de me rendre folle, je ne me ménage plus, je ne connais plus de retenue sur la philosophie ; laissons parler le monde, et donnons-nous aux tourbillons" show more (astronomiques). Même si parfois elle est troublée, épouvantée même devant l'immensité de l'univers.
Bref un texte fort plaisant qui atteint son but d'enseignement mais avec quelle grâce ! show less
Jul 9, 2025French
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Conversations on the Plurality of Worlds
- Original title
- Entretiens sur la pluralitι des mondes
- Important places*
- Rouen, Normandië, Frankrijk; Frankrijk
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
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- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
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- ASINs
- 6
