Today we have a clear understanding of
how the Earth rotates in an elliptical orbit around the sun, a heliocentric
model first presented by Nicolaus Copernicus. However, it was not until after
Ptolemy’s geocentric model had reined for over a thousand years, refined from
the ideas of previous philosophers such as Aristotle and Hipparchus. It was
during his time when people were no longer satisfied with supernatural
explanations, but instead sought out to understand Earth’s nature by using
scientific methods to gain an objective truth to explain their physical
reality. Because of this new perspective to understanding the natural
phenomenon of Earth, Ptolemaous was able to approach science in a concrete and
logical way that still influences us to this day.
Ptolemy derived the fundamentals from
Aristotle, believing that the Earth was at the center of the universe while
each planet moved around it in larger circles. Ptolemaous claimed that the
planets orbited in a small loop as they moved in a bigger loop around Earth in
order to explain the apparent retrograde motion that was observed. This
epicycle was that was also brought up by Hipparchus was applied to the
geocentric model, now known as Ptolemaic model.
We now know that Ptolemy was not correct
about his model, but because his scientific approaches led to incredibly
accurate outcomes, his model convinced much of the population for a great
amount of time. He took the observations of the apparent retrograde motions of
the planets and modified the geocentric to compete with other models, so that
it was compatible with what he saw. This logic and reasoning was what allowed
him to utilize the hallmarks of science and build upon ideas of previous
scientists. Although his model was extremely complicated and simply not true, Ptolemy
truly grasped the idea of aligning his theories with concrete observations.
http://abyss.uoregon.edu/~js/glossary/ptolemy.html
The Cosmic Perspective: Stars, Galaxies, and Cosmology (p. 63, 70-71)
http://abyss.uoregon.edu/~js/glossary/ptolemy.html
The Cosmic Perspective: Stars, Galaxies, and Cosmology (p. 63, 70-71)
I think that you did a good job of overviewing what the geocentric model is and why it is now know to be incorrect. I think that it was very easy for people to believe his model because at night people would see what they thought were the same stars and of course moon so they agreed that since everything was the same it was not the Earth that was moving but when something was shifted in the sky that meant that the object itself had moved around Earth. Your overview was greatly detailed and you did a good job summarizing the differences between different models.
ReplyDeleteAnother reason why the Ptolemaic Model was suggested was because early astronomers couldn't imagine the vast distances of earth and space (one reason stellar parallax couldn't be observed). Plus you can't feel earth moving but you can see the sun moves, the earth moves, the planets move, and the stars move (slower than the planets but they still rotate in the night sky). They used the information they had at the time to propose a working model of the solar system. Although incorrect, no one could really prove otherwise until the Copernican Revolution.
ReplyDeleteWhile it is true that Ptolemy's place in the history of scientific progress came from his geocentric model, he also gained recognition by summarizing everything that was known about astronomy at the time. He indoctrinated the astronomer's task as explaining the motions of the "heavens" using only uniform circular motion. As you alluded to, it was this idea of simplicity that would only become more important as scientific knowledge progressed. I agree that while his model may have been incorrect, Ptolemy's philosophy and methods would set a precedence for astronomical discovery for centuries to come.
ReplyDeleteI think it's very interesting how you explained how Ptolemy adhered to the scientific method by adjusting his theories to previous established evidence. I think it is also important to note that Ptolemy was known for his summary and detailed notes on astronomy. Through this process, he was reestablishing the last stage of the scientific method - "Communicating your results." I believe that this is one of the most important steps of the scientific method because it disseminates material to other scientists in order to further scientific progress.
ReplyDeleteThe early Greeks couldn't comprehend the distances required to believe the heliocentric model, so it just made sense to say everything must revolve around the earth. Without proof that anything else had orbits around it, the earth just made sense as the biggest object in the sky. After all, the earth is the densest object in the sky since light weighs less than ground, right? The Greeks and other early cultures weren't wrong for believing the geocentric model, it just fit their contemporary philosophies and made it easier to comprehend the heavens.
ReplyDeleteI think what is interesting about your post, is that you are stressing the importance of a view of the universe that we now accept as wrong. At the time it was devised, a lot of the calculations made sense, and thus many people accepted it as true. I believe it to be interesting from a philosophical standpoint because it brings forth the notion that any theory we currently have about the universe can also be wrong. All it may take is a little more research for us to find that the models we currently think to be true are in fact wrong, despite all of the numbers and observations we use to support it. It goes to show you that you should never stop seeking answers to what is unknown, but also you should never fall into that trap of thinking that what is currently accepted as truth will always be.
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