Don’t look back – you’re not going that way. (Mary Engelbreit)
Thinking about the musings from Day 171: Going Backwards Before Going Forwards.…
I would submit to you that while on the surface, it may appear that the science may be settled here on our planet, however, when one digs deeper, perhaps it is not settled at all. I would further submit to you that like an onion, the field of science may appear settled on the top layer, but, if one continues to peel, it leads to further investigation, eventually leading to the truth.
There is a case to be made that when dealing with science related issues, the questions you need to ask yourself are these:
1) When the science is telling you that ‘it’ is settled, (the ‘it’ in this case being: the change from a Ptolemaic, Earth centered universe, to a sun centered, Heliocentric universe), are you then satisfied with their scientific conclusions, and move on with your life?
2) If you are not satisfied with these new scientific conclusions, how far are you willing to continue to peel away at the new science, that they claimed was already settled?
In my classes, before covering the Scientific Revolution, there was an equally impressive series of events that needed to be taught as well. May historians would argue that these series of events not only rivaled the Scientific Revolution in historical significance, but they are even more revolutionary:
The Maritime Revolution, or the European Age of Discovery.
While most people may remember that in 1492, it was Christopher Columbus that sailed the ocean blue, what many may not know is who gave the go ahead to fund this historic expedition.
It was not King Ferdinand of Spain who financially backed Columbus, but rather his wife, Queen Isabella, who made the decision to approve the momentous voyage.
What even fewer people are aware of is the fact that it was not Queen Isabella’s Spain who started the European Age of Discovery, but rather their Iberian Peninsula neighbor, Portugal. Led by Prince Henry the Navigator in 1419 with his navigation school, it was just over a century later when Portugal was joined by 4 other empires: Spain, Dutch, French and British, who were all sailing boats in the Atlantic Ocean.
All competing for the same ‘God, Gold and Glory’, these 5 empires main focus was establishing and growing their colonies in the New World.
While there is no doubt as to the significance of Prince Henry who started it, and Columbus who kicked it, (or…sailed it?), to the next level, I believe that there is a case to be made that there is another figure during the Maritime Revolution / European Age of Discovery, whose name must be considered when discussing the historical impacts of Columbus and Prince Henry the Navigator:
Ferdinand Magellan of Spain.
From 1519 to 1522, the crew of Ferdinand Magellan ultimately circumnavigated the earth, beginning in and eventually ending back in Spain. (Magellan was killed in the islands of what will eventually be known as the Philippines in April of 1521):
I would submit to you that there are 3 reasons why Magellan, (and his crew), are to be considered among the most important individuals during the Maritime Revolution / European Age of Discovery:
1) Magellan’s crew confirmed the international date line. (The calendar on their ship was a day off from the calendars back in Spain.);
2) Magellan’s crew were the first Europeans to discover the largest ocean in the world, the Pacific, confirming that the earth was much larger than originally thought, and most importantly;
3) Magellan’s crew were the first to circumnavigate the globe, proving that the earth was a sphere and not flat.
At least, that is what we were taught to believe.
One of the last pieces of evidence that I would present to my students for almost 2 decades to help them truly understand the significance of the voyage of Ferdinand Magellan and crew, was to show, read, and discuss the following bible verse:
22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in: (Isaiah 40:22 KJV)
I would have the student who found this bible verse first in class read it twice, the second time, much slower than the first…And then stopping at the first comma:
“It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth…”
It is at this point, where I would explain to the class that this verse in the Book of Isaiah and the voyage of Ferdinand Magellan and crew, are proving the same thing:
That planet Earth is a…sphere.
After completing this exercise with my students, I would move onto the next set of people, places and things that they would need to know for their next unit exam.
Not once, in 18 years of teaching this material covering the European Age of Discovery / Maritime Revolution, was I even questioned about the impacts of Ferdinand Magellan and his crew.
Not once, in 18 years of teaching this material covering the European Age of Discovery / Maritime Revolution, was I ever questioned about the words contained in Isaiah 40:22 before the first comma either:
“It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth…”
And so, I never thought twice about it.
Until recently, when I came across this bible verse during a bible study session with a high school friend of mine:
18 He will surely violently turn and toss thee like a ball into a large country: there shalt thou die, and there the chariots of thy glory shall be the shame of thy lord’s house. (Isaiah 22:18 KJV)
Here again is what I used in class to prove that the Earth is a sphere for almost 2 decades:
22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in: (Isaiah 40:22 KJV)
And here again is what I just came across recently:
18 He will surely violently turn and toss thee like a ball into a large country: there shalt thou die, and there the chariots of thy glory shall be the shame of thy lord’s house. (Isaiah 22:18 KJV)
So the question that needs to be asked is this:
Do both bible verses from the Book of Isaiah come to the same conclusions regarding the shape of the Earth?
That question will be answered next time.
Do not feel discouraged if you cannot see the significance of what the 2 bible verses from the Book of Isaiah are telling, (or not telling), you. Do not feel discouraged if you cannot see the larger significance of what these 2 bible verses may, (or may not be), showing you after reading them. Instead, understand that after continuing the process of reading these 2 bible verses, you are peeling your way into the next layer of the onion, which in turn, may lead to more self discoveries that you never though existed.
22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in: (Isaiah 40:22 KJV)
Was today’s blog a little confusing at times? Was the content perhaps a little overwhelming? Did you feel lost not understanding some or most of the subject matter?
Those feelings are totally understandable and it is ok to have one or more of those feelings. Remember that you are reading Day 172: Sailing Backwards With 1 Or With 2?
If you haven’t been in class since the first day of school…or when the project began…or when the contract was first signed, etc., these feelings make perfect and logistical sense.
Please feel free to go back to where all of this began: