1delle scienze naturali (on the philosophy of natural science), changed—who
knows why—with publication in volume form in 1877 into the less significant
De'nuovi studi della filosofia, Discorsi di Raffaello Caverni a un giovane studente
(on the new studies of philosophy, conversations of Raffaello Caverni with a
young student). Here he maintained that philosophy too is a science of observa
tion, that is, basically experimental, and criticized both those philosophers who
want to consider man prescinding from any scientific preparation and without
any knowledge of physiology in particular and those scientists who see in man
only his material being. But the central theme of this treatise is delicate and
controversial for his times. Caverni undertook a critical examination of
Darwin's theory of evolution as contained in The Descent of Man, which had
appeared in 1871. A subtitle of the third chapter declared “That the new
doctrine of Darwin and natural science ought not frighten the faithful who
should be allowed to cultivate them in all serenity and we too, confuting them
where necessary, should cultivate them with love.” His program was clear but
hardly in harmony with the position taken by the Catholic world. And thus,
while the articles printed in the magazine miraculously passed, not so the book
which was put on the Index with a decree dated July 1, 1878. Father Gio
vanozzi, particularly competent in the matter, wrote, “I believe the prohibition
of the book was due not to its defense of the evolutionary hypothesis, but to the
rather sharp and caustic attacks against institutes, methods and persons of the
ecclesiastical world.”
In any case, this episode marked the parting of ways—a
break only on a cultural plane, of course, yet even so, sharp and precise—with
a rejection which was to be constant and unhesitating of a certain “tradition”
that Caverni found stale and moldy. For even after the decision of the Con
gregation of the Index, his ideas did not change essentially. In the Rassegna
Nazionale he continued to publish articles on an analogous subject, Sull'
antichità dell'uomo (on the antiquity of man); in this series, which appeared in
volume form in 1881, he concluded, as in his preceding work, that the faithful
may tranquilly attend geologists'debates on the matter. The substance is more
or less the same. Perhaps this time he simply refrained from those biting
allusions to some colleagues which, to tell the truth, he brings off so skillfully.
knows why—with publication in volume form in 1877 into the less significant
De'nuovi studi della filosofia, Discorsi di Raffaello Caverni a un giovane studente
(on the new studies of philosophy, conversations of Raffaello Caverni with a
young student). Here he maintained that philosophy too is a science of observa
tion, that is, basically experimental, and criticized both those philosophers who
want to consider man prescinding from any scientific preparation and without
any knowledge of physiology in particular and those scientists who see in man
only his material being. But the central theme of this treatise is delicate and
controversial for his times. Caverni undertook a critical examination of
Darwin's theory of evolution as contained in The Descent of Man, which had
appeared in 1871. A subtitle of the third chapter declared “That the new
doctrine of Darwin and natural science ought not frighten the faithful who
should be allowed to cultivate them in all serenity and we too, confuting them
where necessary, should cultivate them with love.” His program was clear but
hardly in harmony with the position taken by the Catholic world. And thus,
while the articles printed in the magazine miraculously passed, not so the book
which was put on the Index with a decree dated July 1, 1878. Father Gio
vanozzi, particularly competent in the matter, wrote, “I believe the prohibition
of the book was due not to its defense of the evolutionary hypothesis, but to the
rather sharp and caustic attacks against institutes, methods and persons of the
ecclesiastical world.”
In any case, this episode marked the parting of ways—a
break only on a cultural plane, of course, yet even so, sharp and precise—with
a rejection which was to be constant and unhesitating of a certain “tradition”
that Caverni found stale and moldy. For even after the decision of the Con
gregation of the Index, his ideas did not change essentially. In the Rassegna
Nazionale he continued to publish articles on an analogous subject, Sull'
antichità dell'uomo (on the antiquity of man); in this series, which appeared in
volume form in 1881, he concluded, as in his preceding work, that the faithful
may tranquilly attend geologists'debates on the matter. The substance is more
or less the same. Perhaps this time he simply refrained from those biting
allusions to some colleagues which, to tell the truth, he brings off so skillfully.
From 1884 to 1888 Raffaello Caverni dedicated himself to scientific populariza
tion, without doubt a congenial genre. For his task he put aside those regal and
curial robes he had donned to write of philosophy and the history of science and
treated the subjects of physics and natural science in limpid, fluent language,
presenting orderly ideas and familiar images. For this reason the environment,
mentality, and customs of his times enter freely into these pages and they
tion, without doubt a congenial genre. For his task he put aside those regal and
curial robes he had donned to write of philosophy and the history of science and
treated the subjects of physics and natural science in limpid, fluent language,
presenting orderly ideas and familiar images. For this reason the environment,
mentality, and customs of his times enter freely into these pages and they