229
Consistent with this multidisciplinary vision, Secchi considered the Earth in the
framework of the immensity of the universe. The study of the material and mechanical development of the planet belongs to astronomers who, discovering it in space,
can help the geologist, who studies our little planet through time. Thus, the study of
astronomy and geology works together for the comprehension of nature, created by
the Supreme Being. The ultimate goal is to be found in the Jesuit motto “to find God
in all things.”
Contemporary progress in paleontology and its consequent achievements concerning the enormous extent of geological time noticeably influenced Secchi’s
vision about the evolution of the universe and presence of life (Altamore 2012;
Chinnici 2019: 302–304). This was a surprising insight of Father Secchi, which
anticipated the solution of the “dating game” of determining the age of Earth that
would occur in the twentieth century by means of radiometric methods (Lewis
2000; Rudwick 2014). This vision of considering the space-time dimension as a
whole, so in advance of its time, is clearly exhibited by Secchi in his book Le Stelle
(1877) and in two dissertations titled “La grandezza del creato nello spazio e nel
tempo” and “La grandezza del Creato nelle combinazioni constitutive dell’Universo”
which are published as appendices to the Lessons.
Lessons of Terrestrial Physics contains 13 lectures
3
:
Lesson I - General appearance of the globe
Lesson II - Behavior of water on the Earth’s surface
Lesson III - Water circulation in the air
Lesson IV - Water circulation in the oceans
Lesson V - Water circulation in the Earth’s interior
Lesson VI - Volcanoes and volcanism
Lesson VII - Sedimentary strata; general principles of stratigraphic geology
Lesson VIII - Azoic and Protozoic eras
Lesson IX - Paleozoic era
Lesson X - Mesozoic or secondary era
Lesson XI - Neozoic or tertiary era
Lesson XII - Ice Age or quaternary era
Lesson XIII - Anthropic or human epoch
It is worth noting that Secchi had an excellent grasp of the geological literature,
mentioning previous work from pioneer scientists like Antonio Vallisneri
(1661–1730) and Lazzaro Spallanzani (1729–1799) up to his contemporaries like
Antonio Stoppani, above mentioned, and Leopold von Buch (1774–1853).
3 Lezione I Aspetto generale del globo; Lezione II Lavorìo dell’acqua sulla superficie della Terra;
Lezione III Circolazione dell’acqua nell’aria; Lezione IV Circolazione dell’acqua negli oceani;
Lezione V Circolazione dell’acqua nell’interno della Terra; Lezione VI I vulcani e il vulcanismo;
Lezione VII I terreni sedimentari. Principi generali di geologia stratigrafica; Lezione VIII Dei terreni Azoici e Protozoici; Lezione IX Era Paleozoica; Lezione X Era Mesozoica o secondaria;
Lezione XI Era Neozoica o terziaria; Lezione XII Era glaciale o Quaternaria; Lezione XIII Epoca
antropica o umana.
14 Angelo Secchi and the Development of Geophysics in Italy
Consistent with this multidisciplinary vision, Secchi considered the Earth in the
framework of the immensity of the universe. The study of the material and mechanical development of the planet belongs to astronomers who, discovering it in space,
can help the geologist, who studies our little planet through time. Thus, the study of
astronomy and geology works together for the comprehension of nature, created by
the Supreme Being. The ultimate goal is to be found in the Jesuit motto “to find God
in all things.”
Contemporary progress in paleontology and its consequent achievements concerning the enormous extent of geological time noticeably influenced Secchi’s
vision about the evolution of the universe and presence of life (Altamore 2012;
Chinnici 2019: 302–304). This was a surprising insight of Father Secchi, which
anticipated the solution of the “dating game” of determining the age of Earth that
would occur in the twentieth century by means of radiometric methods (Lewis
2000; Rudwick 2014). This vision of considering the space-time dimension as a
whole, so in advance of its time, is clearly exhibited by Secchi in his book Le Stelle
(1877) and in two dissertations titled “La grandezza del creato nello spazio e nel
tempo” and “La grandezza del Creato nelle combinazioni constitutive dell’Universo”
which are published as appendices to the Lessons.
Lessons of Terrestrial Physics contains 13 lectures
3
:
Lesson I - General appearance of the globe
Lesson II - Behavior of water on the Earth’s surface
Lesson III - Water circulation in the air
Lesson IV - Water circulation in the oceans
Lesson V - Water circulation in the Earth’s interior
Lesson VI - Volcanoes and volcanism
Lesson VII - Sedimentary strata; general principles of stratigraphic geology
Lesson VIII - Azoic and Protozoic eras
Lesson IX - Paleozoic era
Lesson X - Mesozoic or secondary era
Lesson XI - Neozoic or tertiary era
Lesson XII - Ice Age or quaternary era
Lesson XIII - Anthropic or human epoch
It is worth noting that Secchi had an excellent grasp of the geological literature,
mentioning previous work from pioneer scientists like Antonio Vallisneri
(1661–1730) and Lazzaro Spallanzani (1729–1799) up to his contemporaries like
Antonio Stoppani, above mentioned, and Leopold von Buch (1774–1853).
3 Lezione I Aspetto generale del globo; Lezione II Lavorìo dell’acqua sulla superficie della Terra;
Lezione III Circolazione dell’acqua nell’aria; Lezione IV Circolazione dell’acqua negli oceani;
Lezione V Circolazione dell’acqua nell’interno della Terra; Lezione VI I vulcani e il vulcanismo;
Lezione VII I terreni sedimentari. Principi generali di geologia stratigrafica; Lezione VIII Dei terreni Azoici e Protozoici; Lezione IX Era Paleozoica; Lezione X Era Mesozoica o secondaria;
Lezione XI Era Neozoica o terziaria; Lezione XII Era glaciale o Quaternaria; Lezione XIII Epoca
antropica o umana.
14 Angelo Secchi and the Development of Geophysics in Italy