On the Method of Zadig: Essay #1 from "Science and Hebrew Tradition" — Page 13
All that can be said is, that the prospective prophecies of the astronomer are always verified; and that, inasmuch as his retrospective prophecies are the result of following backwards, the very same method as that which invariably leads to verified results, when it is worked forwards, there is as much reason for placing full confidence in the one as in the other.
Todo lo que se puede decir es que las profecías prospectivas del astrónomo siempre se verifican; y que, dado que sus profecías retrospectivas son el resultado de seguir hacia atrás el mismo método que invariablemente conduce a resultados verificados cuando se aplica hacia adelante, hay tanta razón para depositar plena confianza en las unas como en las otras.
Retrospective prophecy is therefore a legitimate function of astronomical science; and if it is legitimate for one science it is legitimate for all; the fundamental axiom on which it rests, the constancy of the order of nature, being the common foundation of all scientific thought.
La profecía retrospectiva es, por tanto, una función legítima de la ciencia astronómica; y si es legítima para una ciencia, lo es para todas; el axioma fundamental en el que se sustenta, la constancia del orden de la naturaleza, siendo el fundamento común de todo pensamiento científico.
Indeed, if there can be grades in legitimacy, certain branches of science have the advantage over astronomy, in so far as their retrospective prophecies are not only susceptible of verification, but are sometimes strikingly verified.
De hecho, si puede haber grados en la legitimidad, ciertas ramas de la ciencia tienen ventaja sobre la astronomía, en la medida en que sus profecías retrospectivas no solo son susceptibles de verificación, sino que en ocasiones son verificadas de manera sorprendente.
Such a science exists in that application of the principles of biology to the interpretation of the animal and vegetable remains imbedded in the rocks which compose the surface of the globe, which is called Palaeontology.
Tal ciencia existe en esa aplicación de los principios de la biología a la interpretación de los restos animales y vegetales incrustados en las rocas que componen la superficie del globo, que se denomina Paleontología.
At no very distant time, the question whether these so-called "fossils," were really the remains of animals and plants was hotly disputed.
No hace mucho tiempo, se debatía acaloradamente si estos llamados «fósiles» eran realmente restos de animales y plantas.
Very learned persons maintained that they were nothing of the kind, but a sort of concretion, or crystallisation, which had taken place within the stone in which they are found; and which simulated the forms of animal and vegetable life, just as frost on a window-pane imitates vegetation.
Personas muy eruditas sostenían que no eran nada de eso, sino una especie de concreción o cristalización que había tenido lugar dentro de la piedra en la que se encuentran, y que simulaba las formas de la vida animal y vegetal, del mismo modo que la escarcha en un cristal de ventana imita la vegetación.
Vocabulary
- Todo
- Everything, all; refers to the whole of something
- lo
- Neuter article or direct object pronoun meaning 'it'
- que
- That, which, what; common conjunction or relative pronoun
- se
- Reflexive pronoun used with verbs for various constructions
- puede
- Can, is able to; third person singular of poder
- decir
- To say, to tell; common Spanish verb of speech
- es
- Is; third person singular present tense of ser
- las
- The; feminine plural definite article
- profecías
- Prophecies; predictions about future events
- prospectivas
- Prospective; relating to predictions about the future
- del
- Contraction of de and el meaning 'of the'
- astrónomo
- Astronomer; scientist who studies celestial bodies
- siempre
- Always; at all times without exception
- verifican
- Are verified; confirmed as true or accurate
- y
- And; basic coordinating conjunction
- dado
- Given; considering that, since a condition exists
- sus
- His, her, their, your; possessive adjective
- retrospectivas
- Retrospective; relating to analysis of past events
- son
- Are; third person plural present tense of ser
- el
- The; masculine singular definite article
- resultado
- Result, outcome; consequence of a process or action
- de
- Of, from; very common Spanish preposition
- seguir
- To follow, to continue; to keep going in a direction
- hacia
- Toward, towards; indicating direction or movement
- atrás
- Back, behind; indicating backward direction or position
- mismo
- Same; identical, the very one already mentioned
- método
- Method; systematic procedure or way of doing something
- invariablemente
- Invariably; always, without any variation or exception
- conduce
- Leads, conducts; guides toward a result or destination
- a
- To, at; very common Spanish preposition
- resultados
- Results, outcomes; plural of resultado
- verificados
- Verified; confirmed or proven to be correct
- cuando
- When; at the time that something occurs
- aplica
- Applies; puts into practice or uses a method
- adelante
- Forward, ahead; in the direction of the future
- hay
- There is, there are; indicates existence of something
- tanta
- So much, as much; feminine form of tanto
- razón
- Reason; logical justification or cause for something
- para
- For, in order to; preposition indicating purpose or recipient
- depositar
- To deposit, to place; to put trust or confidence in
- plena
- Full, complete; entire without reservation or limitation
- confianza
- Confidence, trust; faith placed in someone or something
- en
- In, on, at; common Spanish preposition of location
- unas
- Some; indefinite feminine plural article or pronoun
- como
- As, like; used for comparison or similarity
- otras
- Others; feminine plural referring to different ones
- La
- The; feminine singular definite article
- profecía
- Prophecy; a prediction or foretelling of future events
- retrospectiva
- Retrospective; looking back at or analyzing past events
- por
- For, by, through; versatile Spanish preposition
- tanto
- So much, therefore; used in conclusion or comparison
- una
- A, an, one; feminine indefinite article
- función
- Function; role or purpose served by something
- legítima
- Legitimate; valid, lawful, and properly justified
- ciencia
- Science; systematic study of the natural world
- astronómica
- Astronomical; relating to astronomy and celestial study
- si
- If; conditional conjunction introducing a hypothesis
- todas
- All; feminine plural form meaning every one
- axioma
- Axiom; self-evident principle accepted without proof
- fundamental
- Fundamental; basic, essential, forming the foundation
- sustenta
- Sustains, supports; upholds or maintains a principle
- constancia
- Constancy; consistency and unchanging regularity over time
- orden
- Order; organized arrangement or systematic structure
- naturaleza
- Nature; the natural world and its phenomena
- siendo
- Being; present participle of ser indicating a state
- fundamento
- Foundation; the underlying basis or support for something
- común
- Common; shared by all, widespread, or ordinary
- todo
- All, every; refers to the entirety of something
- pensamiento
- Thought, thinking; the process or product of mental activity
- científico
- Scientific; relating to or following scientific methods
- De
- Of, from; preposition indicating origin or belonging
- hecho
- Fact; something known to be true; also 'done'
- haber
- To have; auxiliary verb also meaning 'there to be'
- grados
- Degrees; levels or stages of intensity or quality
- legitimidad
- Legitimacy; the quality of being valid and justified
- ciertas
- Certain; specific or particular ones among a group
- ramas
- Branches; subdivisions of a field or discipline
- tienen
- They have; third person plural of tener
- ventaja
- Advantage; a favorable condition over others
- sobre
- Over, about, on top of; Spanish preposition
- astronomía
- Astronomy; science studying stars, planets, and space
- medida
- Measure, extent; degree to which something applies
- no
- No, not; basic negation word in Spanish
- solo
- Only, alone; exclusively, just one thing
- susceptibles
- Susceptible; capable of or open to a certain process
- verificación
- Verification; the process of confirming accuracy or truth
- sino
- But rather; used to contrast after a negation
- ocasiones
- Occasions; specific times or instances when something occurs
- verificadas
- Verified; feminine plural of verificado, confirmed true
- manera
- Manner, way; the mode or style of doing something
- sorprendente
- Surprising; astonishing and unexpected in a notable way
- Tal
- Such; of that kind, to such a degree
- existe
- Exists; is present or real in the world
- esa
- That; feminine demonstrative adjective or pronoun
- aplicación
- Application; practical use of knowledge or principles
- los
- The; masculine plural definite article
- principios
- Principles; fundamental rules or laws guiding a field
- biología
- Biology; science studying living organisms and life
- interpretación
- Interpretation; explaining the meaning of something observed
- restos
- Remains, remnants; leftover parts of something past
- animales
- Animals; living organisms of the animal kingdom
- vegetales
- Plants, vegetables; organisms belonging to the plant kingdom
- incrustados
- Encrusted, embedded; firmly set within a hard material
- rocas
- Rocks; hard mineral formations found in the earth
- componen
- Compose, make up; form the parts of a whole
- superficie
- Surface; the outer layer or face of something
- globo
- Globe; the earth or a spherical representation of it
- denomina
- Is called, is named; given a specific designation
- Paleontología
- Paleontology; science studying ancient life through fossils
- No
- No, not; word of negation in Spanish
- hace
- Makes, does; also used in time expressions like 'ago'
- mucho
- Much, a lot; large quantity or degree
- tiempo
- Time; the passage of moments, or weather
- debatía
- Was debated; past imperfect of debatir, to argue
- acaloradamente
- Heatedly; with intense passion or emotional argument
- estos
- These; masculine plural demonstrative adjective or pronoun
- llamados
- Called, so-called; referred to by a particular name
- fósiles
- Fossils; preserved remains of ancient organisms in rock
- eran
- Were; third person plural imperfect tense of ser
- realmente
- Really, truly; in actual fact, genuinely
- plantas
- Plants; living organisms that photosynthesize and grow
- Personas
- People, persons; individual human beings
- muy
- Very; intensifier used before adjectives and adverbs
- eruditas
- Erudite, learned; highly educated and knowledgeable people
- sostenían
- Maintained, argued; held a position or opinion firmly
- nada
- Nothing; not anything at all
- eso
- That; neuter demonstrative pronoun referring to something
- especie
- Species; a category of organisms or a type of thing
- concreción
- Concretion; a hard mass formed by mineral accumulation
- o
- Or; conjunction offering an alternative choice
- cristalización
- Crystallization; process of forming crystals within material
- había
- There had been; past tense of haber indicating existence
- tenido
- Taken place, had; past participle of tener
- lugar
- Place; a location or the occurrence of an event
- dentro
- Inside, within; in the interior of something
- piedra
- Stone, rock; hard mineral material found in nature
- encuentran
- Find, encounter; discover or come across something
- simulaba
- Simulated, mimicked; imitated the appearance of something
- formas
- Forms, shapes; the outward appearance of something
- vida
- Life; the condition of living organisms
- animal
- Animal; relating to or being a living creature
- vegetal
- Plant, vegetable; relating to the plant kingdom
- modo
- Mode, way, manner; method or style of something
- escarcha
- Frost; ice crystals formed on cold surfaces overnight
- un
- A, an, one; masculine indefinite article
- cristal
- Crystal, glass; a clear solid with geometric structure
- ventana
- Window; an opening in a wall that lets in light
- imita
- Imitates, mimics; copies the appearance of something else
- vegetación
- Vegetation; plant life covering an area or surface
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