We might, indeed, add
that if we were to include all the objects which are now known to
belong to the solar system, the argument from probability might be
enormously increased in strength. To Laplace the argument appeared
so conclusive that he sought for some physical cause of the
remarkable phenomenon which the solar system presented. Thus it was
that the famous Nebular Hypothesis took its rise. Laplace devised a
scheme for the origin of the sun and the planetary system, in which
it would be a necessary consequence that all the movements should
take place in the same direction as they are actually observed to do.
Let us suppose that in the beginning there was a gigantic mass of
nebulous material, so highly heated that the iron and other
substances which now enter into the composition of the earth and
planets were then suspended in a state of vapour. There is nothing
unreasonable in such a supposition indeed, we know as a matter of
fact that there are thousands of such nebulae to be discerned at
present through our telescopes. It would be extremely unlikely that
any object could exist without possessing some motion of rotation; we
may in fact assert that for rotation to be entirety absent from the
great primeval nebula would be almost infinitely improbable.
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