Sidebar- Aristotle's Cosmology
Fiorella Terenzi's new book: The Sensual Universe will paint cosmological objects with a human face. Galaxies will gravitate towards each other because they are in love. Comets will pass through our inner Solar System like artists with infrequent creative expressions. This sort of human interpretation may have appeal for young people, and indeed, it could be a fun and amusing concept for many adults. But I worry that this sort of science presentation could be misleading to those who don't know the science facts any better.
Her approach is very similar to Aristotle's cosmos. In Aristotle's cosmology, everything strives towards an ideal appropriate to its nature. A stone drops to the ground because it wants to return home. The Earth and other celestial bodies orbit in circular paths because the circle is the perfect shape and these celestial bodes want their paths most suited to their heavenly nature.
It would be a step backwards, scientifically, to present such material as fact. Since I'm certain that Fiorella wouldn't want it to be accepted this way either, I only have one piece of advice about her future literary presentation. BE CLEAR. Separate the fact from the fiction and make sure that these amusing ideas are presented as simply amusing ideas and NOT FACT. And I hope her book succeeds!
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