This was exactly the opposition Newton faced when introducing his theories, especially that of gravitation. In mediaeval philosophy, the idea of action at a distance was discredited through its association with ``magic'' and the supernatural. So here comes Newton, saying ``Hey, guess what? The planets go round the sun because of an invisible force that acts at a distance through no known medium!''. Of course he is ridiculed---the idea of action at a distance is even more ridiculous than the idea, proposed by some, that each planet has an angel that guides it around.