On the Method of Zadig: Essay #1 from "Science and Hebrew Tradition" — Page 12
The power of prediction, of prospective prophecy, is that which is commonly regarded as the great prerogative of physical science.
El poder de la predicción, de la profecía prospectiva, es lo que comúnmente se considera la gran prerrogativa de la ciencia física.
And truly it is a wonderful fact that one can go into a shop and buy for a small price a book, the "Nautical Almanac," which will foretell the exact position to be occupied by one of Jupiter's moons six months hence; nay, more, that, if it were worth while, the Astronomer-Royal could furnish us with as infallible a prediction applicable to 1980 or 2980.
Y verdaderamente es un hecho maravilloso que uno pueda entrar en una tienda y comprar por un precio módico un libro, el "Almanaque Náutico", que predecirá la posición exacta que ocupará una de las lunas de Júpiter dentro de seis meses; es más, que, si valiera la pena, el Astrónomo Real podría proporcionarnos una predicción igualmente infalible aplicable a 1980 o 2980.
But astronomy is not less remarkable for its power of retrospective prophecy.
Pero la astronomía no es menos notable por su poder de profecía retrospectiva.
Thales, oldest of Greek philosophers, the dates of whose birth and death are uncertain, but who flourished about 600 B.C., is said to have foretold an eclipse of the sun which took place in his time during a battle between the Medes and the Lydians.
Se dice que Tales, el más antiguo de los filósofos griegos, cuyas fechas de nacimiento y muerte son inciertas, pero que floreció hacia el año 600 a.C., predijo un eclipse de sol que tuvo lugar en su época durante una batalla entre los medos y los lidios.
Sir George Airy has written a very learned and interesting memoir [2] in which he proves that such an eclipse was visible in Lydia on the afternoon of the 28th of May in the year 585 B.C.
Sir George Airy ha escrito una memoria muy erudita e interesante [2] en la que demuestra que tal eclipse fue visible en Lidia en la tarde del 28 de mayo del año 585 a.C.
No one doubts that, on the day and at the hour mentioned by the Astronomer-Royal, the people of Lydia saw the face of the sun totally obscured.
Nadie duda de que, en el día y a la hora mencionados por el Astrónomo Real, el pueblo de Lidia vio el disco solar totalmente oscurecido.
But, though we implicitly believe this retrospective prophecy, it is incapable of verification.
Pero, aunque creemos implícitamente en esta profecía retrospectiva, es imposible de verificar.
In the total absence of historical records, it is impossible even to conceive any means of ascertaining directly whether the eclipse of Thales happened or not.
En la total ausencia de registros históricos, es imposible incluso concebir ningún medio de determinar directamente si el eclipse de Tales ocurrió o no.
Vocabulary
- El
- The; definite article (masculine singular).
- poder
- Power; ability to do something or capability.
- de
- Of; preposition indicating possession or relationship.
- la
- The; definite article (feminine singular).
- predicción
- Prediction; act of foretelling future events.
- profecía
- Prophecy; divinely inspired prediction of future events.
- prospectiva
- Prospective outlook; future-looking analysis or perspective.
- es
- Is; present tense third person singular of ser.
- lo
- The; neuter article or direct object pronoun.
- que
- What; that; which; relative or interrogative pronoun.
- comúnmente
- Commonly; usually; in a manner that is ordinary.
- se
- Reflexive pronoun; oneself or impersonal passive marker.
- considera
- Considers; third person singular present of considerar.
- gran
- Great; large; adjective of size or importance.
- ciencia
- Science; systematic study of natural world through observation.
- física
- Physics; science studying matter, energy, and forces.
- verdaderamente
- Truly; really; in a truthful or genuine manner.
- un
- A; an; indefinite article (masculine singular).
- hecho
- Fact; something known to be true or actual.
- maravilloso
- Marvellous; wonderful; causing astonishment or admiration greatly.
- uno
- One; number one or indefinite pronoun for someone.
- pueda
- May; can; subjunctive form of poder.
- entrar
- Enter; to go or come into a place.
- en
- In; preposition indicating location or position inside.
- una
- A; an; indefinite article (feminine singular).
- tienda
- Shop; store where goods are bought and sold.
- comprar
- Buy; to purchase goods or services with money.
- por
- For; by; preposition indicating cause or agent.
- precio
- Price; amount of money required to buy something.
- libro
- Book; written work bound together with pages.
- Náutico
- Nautical; relating to ships, navigation, or sea.
- predecirá
- Will predict; future tense third person singular.
- posición
- Position; place or location of something or someone.
- exacta
- Exact; precise; accurate without error or approximation.
- ocupará
- Will occupy; future tense third person singular.
- las
- The; definite article (feminine plural).
- lunas
- Moons; celestial bodies orbiting planets like Jupiter.
- Júpiter
- Jupiter; largest planet in our solar system.
- dentro
- Within; inside; in the interior or time span.
- seis
- Six; number 6 in counting or numbering.
- meses
- Months; period of time; twelve in a year.
- más
- More; additional; greater in amount or quantity.
- si
- If; conditional conjunction introducing hypothetical or uncertain situation.
- valiera
- Were worth; subjunctive imperfect of valer.
- pena
- Penalty; punishment or effort worth doing something.
- Astrónomo
- Astronomer; scientist studying stars, planets, and universe.
- Real
- Royal; relating to a king or monarchy.
- podría
- Could; conditional form of poder.
- igualmente
- Equally; in the same way or manner.
- aplicable
- Applicable; able to be applied or relevant.
- Pero
- But; conjunction introducing contrast or opposition.
- astronomía
- Astronomy; science of celestial objects and universe.
- no
- No; not; negation or denial of something.
- menos
- Less; fewer; smaller in amount or degree.
- notable
- Notable; worthy of attention; remarkable or significant.
- su
- His; her; its; possessive adjective third person.
- retrospectiva
- Retrospective; looking back at past events or history.
- Se
- Reflexive pronoun; oneself or impersonal passive marker.
- dice
- Says; tells; present tense third person singular.
- antiguo
- Ancient; old; belonging to past historical period.
- los
- The; definite article (masculine plural).
- filósofos
- Philosophers; people who study wisdom and knowledge.
- griegos
- Greeks; people from Greece or relating to Greece.
- cuyas
- Whose; possessive relative pronoun (feminine plural).
- fechas
- Dates; specific days or times of events.
- nacimiento
- Birth; act of being born or coming into life.
- muerte
- Death; end of life or cessation of living.
- son
- Are; plural present tense of ser.
- inciertas
- Uncertain; unclear; not known or definite about.
- floreció
- Flourished; thrived; was most successful during period.
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