Krytyka perypatetyckich poglądów kosmologicznych w Selenografii Heweliusza

The article describes sections of a book by Gdańsk astronomer Johannes Hevelius (1611-1647) Selenographia, sive Lunae descriptio ( Gdańsk 1647), in which he polemises with views of his contemporary opponents of heliocentric theory and new astronomy. Hevelius calls them, narrowing the meaning of the word, peripatetics (such term has been adopted in the article) and criticizes them for their reluctance to accept the truth of telescope observations and for rigorous adherence to the letter of the works of Aristotle, even if the facts speak against them. Statements criticised by him concern the following dilemmas: sunspots, the nature of the body of the moon and mountains on its surface, celestial spheres and several minor questions. Hevelius challenges the described views drawing on his own, precise astronomical observations, referring to scientific works, including those written by peripatetics, and making some common sense observations contradictory to the statements of supporters of old cosmology. The first part of the article presents sections of the book of Hevelius that were critical of peripatetics and places them against the background of astronomical theories of the time. The second one comprises additions containing translations of the said parts of the book.