Tahafut_al-Tahafut-transl-Engl-van-den-Bergh

whereas the globe of heaven is homogeneous and simple,
especially the highest sphere, the ninth, which possesses no
stars at all, and these two spheres move on two poles, the
north and the south. We now say: of all the opposite points,
which are infinite, according to you philosophers, there is no
pair one could not imagine as poles. Why then have the two
points of the north and south pole been fixed upon as poles
and as immovable; and why does the ecliptic not pass
through these two poles, so that the poles would become the
opposite points of the ecliptic? And if wisdom is shown in the
size and shape of heaven, what then distinguishes the place
of the poles from others, so that they are fixed upon to serve
as poles, to the exclusion of all the other parts and points?
And yet all the points are similar, and all parts of the globe
are equivalent. And to this there is no answer.
One might say: Perhaps the spot in which the point of the
poles is, is distinguished from other points by a special
quality, in relation to its being the place of the poles and to
its being at rest, for it does not seem to change its place or
space or position or whatever one wishes to call it; and all
the other spots of the sphere by turning change their position
in relation to the earth and the other spheres and only the
poles are at rest; perhaps this spot was more apt to be at
rest than the others. We answer: If you say so, you explain
the fact through a natural differentiation of the parts of the
first sphere; the sphere, then, ceases to be homogeneous,
and this is in contradiction with your principle, for one of the
proofs by which you prove the necessity of the globular
shape of heaven, is that its nature is simple, homogeneous,
and without differentiation, and the simplest shape is the
globe; for the quadrangle and the hexagon and other figures
demand a salience and a differentiation of the angles,’ and
this happens only when its simple nature is added to. But
although this supposition of yours is in contradiction with
your own theory, it does not break the strength of your
opponents’ argument; the question about this special quality
still holds good, namely, can those other parts accept this
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