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 Different Views of the UNIVERSEThe ANCIENTS believed in 7 planets: MERCURY | VENUS | JUPITER | MARS | SATURN | THE SUN | THE MOON | |
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The Aristotelian Universe ... the natural motion of the earth as a whole, like that of its parts, is towards the center of the Universe: that is the reason why it is now lying at the center. ... From these consideations it is clear that the earth does not move, neither does it lie anywhere but at the center. In addition the reason for its immobility is clear from our discussions. If it is inherent in the nature of earth to move from all sides to the center (as observation shows), and of fire to move away from the center towards the extremity, it is impossible for any portion of earth to move from the center except under constraint. ... If then any particular portion is incapable of moving from the center, it is clear that the earth itself as a whole is still more incapable, since it is natural for the whole to be in the place towards which the part has a natural motion. ... (Aristotle, On the Heavens (W.K.C. Guthrie's translation), Loeb Classical Library, 243-7 [296b8-297a1]) |
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The Copernican Universe "Of all discoveries and opinions, none may have exerted a greater effect on the human spirit than the doctrine of Copernicus. The world had scarcely become known as round and complete in itself when it was asked to waive the tremendous privilege of being the center of the universe. Never, perhaps, was a greater demand made on mankind - for by this admission so many things vanished in mist and smoke! What became of our Eden, our world of innocence, piety and poetry; the testimony of the senses; the conviction of a poetic - religious faith? No wonder his contemporaries did not wish to let all this go and offered every possible resistance to a doctrine which in its converts authorized and demanded a freedom of view and greatness of thought so far unknown, indeed not even dreamed of." [Goethe.] |
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