JASLINSKÝ, Andrej
(JASZLISZKY)
* 1. 9. 1715, Svinica, Slovakia
† 1. 1. 1784, Rožňava, Slovakia
Physicist
J. attended grammar school in Košice, and after entering the Jesuit order in 1733, he studied at the Jesuit University in Košice and Trnava. J. among other things worked as a preacher in Varaždin, as professor of philosophy and as prefect of the preachers’ seminar at the Vienna Pazmaneum, as a professor of theology and philosophy at the University of Trnava, as a college rector and magister in Trenčin, and finally as the rector of the University of Trnava ( 1771). After the dissolution of the Jesuit order and nationalization of the University, he worked as a bishop’s advisor in Rožňava (1773).
In view of the theories of matter he was adherent to Pierre Gassendi's atomism and also represented his doctrine of the existence of a vacuum. He considered physics as a part of philosophy. According to the conditions at the Jesuit University of Trnava and to writing of textbooks at that time, his textbooks represented a step forward in physics. This was one of the prerequisites for the implementation of reforms of higher education by Maria Theresa in 1753.
In these textbooks some elements are depicted in the light of materialistic philosophy of life, and other rely on deistic philosophy. The principles of Descartes physics are mixed with those advocated by Newton. Without a doubt he rejected Aristotle’s peripatetic Physics and Ptolemy system, he highlighted the inconsistency of Tycho de Brahe system and accepted Copernican system only as a hypothesis. His knowledge in the field of biology is of particular interest in his physics textbooks. Many of his views of the world opposed the Bible and the doctrine of the Catholic Church so J. tried to coordinate the religious doctrine and scientific knowledge. Where this was not possible he favoured Church, even though it was contrary to scientific and empirical evidence.
