Motoki described the heliocentric solar system with elliptical orbits, but parts of
dynamic theory and Kepler’s laws were arbitrarily omitted. After all, Motoki was a
faithful interpreter, avoiding to refer the new science.
1.3.4 Shizuki Tadao and Newtonian Cosmology
Shizuki Tadao (志筑忠雄, 1760–1806) was a translator and commentator of works
on natural philosophy. He introduced Newtonian cosmology to Japan and attempted
to reconcile its principles with Confucianism (Matsuo 2007; Hockey et al. 2007).
Shizuki was born into the Nakano family and later became an adopted son of the
Shizuki family of a professional Dutch interpreter. Shizuki was a disciple of Motoki
Ryoei. After learning Dutch, astronomy, and other sciences from Motoki, he was
hired as an official interpreter in 1776. In the following year, however, he resigned
his official position because of illness and began to work on translations and
commentaries.
He completed his main book, Rekisho Shinsho (暦象新書, New Treatise on
Calendrical Phenomena), in three volumes in 1802 (Ohmori 1971). This book
was a translation of books on physics and astronomy written by John Keill, English
mathematician and astronomer. Volume 1 of Rekisho Shinsho described observed
behaviors of solar and planetary motions based on a heliocentric point of view.
Volume 2 introduced new technical words into Japanese, such as dynamic force
(dō-ryoku 動力), acceleration (kasokudo加速度), centrifugal force (enshin-ryoku
遠心力), gravitational force (ju-ryoku 重力), and others, and described planetary
motions based on Newton’s theory. In Volume 3, he introduced Western mathematical concepts, such as Newton’s differential calculus, trigonometry, Napier’s logarithm, the trigonometric logarithm, and others. Keill’s original book was composed
of six volumes, among which Shizuki translated for about a half of the whole volume
in Rekisho Shinsho, for a part limited around the half of the whole volumes. Shizuki
also translated some other parts under different titles, such as Dogaku Shinan (動学
指南, Lecture on Dynamics), Nisshoku Sousan (日食総算, General Calculation of
Solar Eclipses), and others. Furthermore, at the end of Volume 2 of Rekisho Shinsho,
Shizuki put forth an original hypothesis on the origin of the Solar System, which
somewhat resembled the hypotheses of Pierre-Simon de Laplace and
Immanuel Kant.
Although Shizuki was not a scientist, the main purpose of these books was to
introduce Western science and the new cosmology based on Newtonian mechanics
and Kepler’s laws of planetary motions. However, the mechanical sciences
presented in Rekisho Shinsho attracted no interest from professional astronomers
of the time. In the middle and late Tokugawa period, astronomy was not sufficiently
advanced to recognize the need for Newtonian mechanics.
8
1 Astronomy in the Tokugawa Period, 1603–1868
dynamic theory and Kepler’s laws were arbitrarily omitted. After all, Motoki was a
faithful interpreter, avoiding to refer the new science.
1.3.4 Shizuki Tadao and Newtonian Cosmology
Shizuki Tadao (志筑忠雄, 1760–1806) was a translator and commentator of works
on natural philosophy. He introduced Newtonian cosmology to Japan and attempted
to reconcile its principles with Confucianism (Matsuo 2007; Hockey et al. 2007).
Shizuki was born into the Nakano family and later became an adopted son of the
Shizuki family of a professional Dutch interpreter. Shizuki was a disciple of Motoki
Ryoei. After learning Dutch, astronomy, and other sciences from Motoki, he was
hired as an official interpreter in 1776. In the following year, however, he resigned
his official position because of illness and began to work on translations and
commentaries.
He completed his main book, Rekisho Shinsho (暦象新書, New Treatise on
Calendrical Phenomena), in three volumes in 1802 (Ohmori 1971). This book
was a translation of books on physics and astronomy written by John Keill, English
mathematician and astronomer. Volume 1 of Rekisho Shinsho described observed
behaviors of solar and planetary motions based on a heliocentric point of view.
Volume 2 introduced new technical words into Japanese, such as dynamic force
(dō-ryoku 動力), acceleration (kasokudo加速度), centrifugal force (enshin-ryoku
遠心力), gravitational force (ju-ryoku 重力), and others, and described planetary
motions based on Newton’s theory. In Volume 3, he introduced Western mathematical concepts, such as Newton’s differential calculus, trigonometry, Napier’s logarithm, the trigonometric logarithm, and others. Keill’s original book was composed
of six volumes, among which Shizuki translated for about a half of the whole volume
in Rekisho Shinsho, for a part limited around the half of the whole volumes. Shizuki
also translated some other parts under different titles, such as Dogaku Shinan (動学
指南, Lecture on Dynamics), Nisshoku Sousan (日食総算, General Calculation of
Solar Eclipses), and others. Furthermore, at the end of Volume 2 of Rekisho Shinsho,
Shizuki put forth an original hypothesis on the origin of the Solar System, which
somewhat resembled the hypotheses of Pierre-Simon de Laplace and
Immanuel Kant.
Although Shizuki was not a scientist, the main purpose of these books was to
introduce Western science and the new cosmology based on Newtonian mechanics
and Kepler’s laws of planetary motions. However, the mechanical sciences
presented in Rekisho Shinsho attracted no interest from professional astronomers
of the time. In the middle and late Tokugawa period, astronomy was not sufficiently
advanced to recognize the need for Newtonian mechanics.
8
1 Astronomy in the Tokugawa Period, 1603–1868