On the Apparent Magnitude of the Sun when Low and High

...if they were snatched away in that space of time: what shall we say of the multitude and thinness of the little membranes original: "membranularum." In Epicurean physics, these are thin films of atoms that peel off objects and travel to the eye to create the sensation of sight. which are skimmed off from such a small thickness of oil over the space of several days? What if, moreover, we had a more compact combustible material and a slower heat consuming it? Indeed, since it has been observed that heat, by its voracity, plucks away many little membranes in heaps, while those little membranes which we call images original: "species," the technical term for the visual forms or "simulacra" that flow from objects. flow off individually by nature's own accord, we will finally recognize that even after several years or centuries, barely anything is scraped from the surfaces of things that would be perceptible to the senses. Furthermore, who returns after half a century, one century, or several, to explore by measurement whether the same size of the object has persisted as before? Who would be able to recognize such a small decrease? Who could use a measure that had not itself also decreased? Averroes A 12th century Andalusian philosopher known for his commentaries on Aristotle., or whoever is the author of the book The Destruction of the Destruction original: "Destructionis destructionum," referring to the work Tahafut al-Tahafut, a defense of Aristotelian philosophy against theological critiques., argues excellently that no one would notice a decrease occurring in the Sun, even if a quantity the size of a palm, or even larger, were lost from its circumference.

VII.

Furthermore, the ease of the outflow and the speed of its flight seem to present an obstacle. But because this depends on the mobility inherent in the principles of things A common term for atoms or the fundamental building blocks of matter., I fear the matter might have to be traced back deeper than is appropriate, and with too much tedious repetition. Namely, the origin and root of all motions would have to be explained, which they consider received from the atoms. For these same philosophers, besides size and shape, recognize an inherent weight in atoms, by which they are moved with incredible swiftness,