--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If the motion of the earth were circular…" description: "\"If the motion of the earth were circular, it would be violent and contrary to nature, and could not be eternal, since nothing violent is eternal . It f..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b8/thomas-aquinas-837_circular-motion_if-the-motion-of-the-earth-were-circular_242255.jpg" --- # If the motion of the earth were circular, it would be… ![“If the motion of the earth were circular, it would be violent and contrary to nature, and could not be eternal, since nothing violent is eternal . It follows, therefore, that the earth is not moved with a circular motion.” quote by Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b8/thomas-aquinas-837_circular-motion_if-the-motion-of-the-earth-were-circular_242255.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b8/thomas-aquinas-837_circular-motion_if-the-motion-of-the-earth-were-circular_242255.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b8/thomas-aquinas-837_circular-motion_if-the-motion-of-the-earth-were-circular_242255.jpg) > “If the motion of the earth were circular, it would be violent and contrary to nature, and could not be eternal, since nothing violent is eternal . It follows, therefore, that the earth is not moved with a circular motion.” [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Earth cannot move in a perfect circle because such motion would be violent, and violence cannot be eternal; therefore Earth’s motion is not circular. **In simple terms:** Circular motion is violent and cannot last forever, so Earth isn’t circular. Key Takeaway Accept that natural motion isn’t perfectly circular. Themes philosophy physics metaphysics Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type theoretical philosophical When to use this quote - academic debate - teaching physics - philosophical discussion - theological argument Key Concepts Aristotelian physics natural motion eternal Questions to Reflect On - How do modern physics concepts this view? - Can motion be both natural and non‑circular? A Different Perspective Circular motion may be an oversimplification of complex celestial mechanics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Eternal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternal/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Violent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violent/) ## Related quotes > [“I live in nature where everything is connected, circular. The seasons are circular. The planet is circular, and so is the planet around the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-live-in-nature-where-everything-is-connected-circular-the-seasons/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Spring, which germinated in the earth, moved also with a strange restlessness, in the hearts of... women. 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