Gravity explains the motions of the planets, but it cannot explain who sets the planets in motion. (Isaac Newton)
Thinking about the musings from Day 66: Resurrection Theories Part 5 – Conclusion.…
I would submit to you that after presenting the 5 most common theories trying to disprove the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth:
Day 55: Resurrection Theories – Part 1.;
Day 57: Resurrection Theories Part 1 – Conclusion.;
Day 58: Resurrection Theories – Part 2.;
Day 59: Resurrection Theories – Part 3.;
Day 60: Resurrection Theories – Part 3 – Conclusion.;
Day 61: Resurrection Theories – Part 4.;
Day 62: Resurrection Theories – Part 4 – Conclusion.;
Day 64: Resurrection Theories – Part 5.;
Day 65: Resurrection Theories – Part 5 – Continued. and;
Day 66: Resurrection Theories – Part 5 – Conclusion.;
ultimately, none of them make sense. I would also submit to you that no matter what you believe, (or don’t believe), after all that has been presented, there is still more out there will help you to come to a more solid conclusion regarding Jesus of Nazareth.
And where you and your soul fit into all of this….
It is at about this point in the semester that we have gotten to the mid-1500’s. One of the items that must be covered in order for my students to be successful on the AP World History exam is the Scientific Revolution.
One of the most enjoyable, historical time periods that I cover in my AP World History class is the Scientific Revolution. One of the reasons that it is enjoyable is the fact that I take a single concept/time period that CollegeBoard expects the students to know on exam day, and expand it into three concepts/time periods:
1) The Scientific Revolution – Part 1;
2) The Scientific Revolution – Part 2 and;
3) The Scientific Revolution – Part 3;
I broke up the Scientific Revolution into 3 distinct time periods to help prove the following:
Part A – All humans are flawed;
Part B – All science is created by humans;
Part C – Therefore, all science is flawed.
(For a better understanding of how I came to the conclusion above, please visit my earlier post covering Aristotle and his concept of syllogism: DAY 11: There Has To Be A Way To Make It All Make Sense…Right?).
So now, let’s begin the process of breaking down the Scientific Revolution into 3 parts…
The Scientific Revolution – Part 1.
The Scientific Revolution – Part 1 covers the fields of both astronomy and anatomy, however, due to time constraints relating to the AP World History Exam, I only have time to cover the content regarding astronomy in class. The content and analysis that I cover includes the discoveries of Nicolaus Copernicus, whose book: On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres, was first printed in 1543, to the discoveries of Isaac Newton, who died in 1727.
However, in order to understand the concepts, observations and conclusions brought forth by Copernicus, Newton and others from 1543 to 1727, we must go back in time…
Almost 1,500 years earlier in fact.
From around 100 – 170 CE, a Greek astronomer living in Alexandria, Egypt named Ptolemy, put forth a scientifically sound theory, at least at the time, regarding the known universe. Ptolemy claimed that the science proved that we, planet Earth, sits in the center of the known universe.
This theory is known in the scientific world as the geocentric model.
The geocentric model, on the surface, makes perfect sense. After all, just a few centuries before, the Greek philosopher Aristotle, (384-322 BC), presented the concept of syllogism to not only philosophy, but also to astronomy. In fact, many historians agree that it is Aristotle and his concept of syllogism, that created the foundations of Western science itself.
Ptolemy I would imagine, would have used Aristotle’s syllogism to help present his case regarding where we are, literally, in the universe.
To help the students to understand Ptolemy’s conclusions, I present the following to my students in class:
I point to the clock in the room. For sake of argument, the clock currently says 10:30am. I then wave my hand and tell the students to imagine that it is in fact 10:30pm, so that it is nighttime.
I then move both of my feet so that they are both within a single floor tile at the front of the room, which measures one foot by one foot.
I then look up, and wave my hand again, and tell the students to imagine the following:
There is no ceiling above us and that it is a clear sky.
After we all agree to the following conditions in order to view the night time sky, I ask the students a question:
“When I, (or you), look up, what do you see in the nighttime sky?”
Over 17 years of answers from 15 and 16 year olds are always the same, yet not always in the same order when I ask them to respond:
“Planets…stars…and the moon.”
Once the class has come to these conclusions regarding what they would see above them, while gazing up at a clear sky at 10:30pm, I then ask the following to the class:
“Ok, now that you have come to these conclusions regarding what I, and you, would see now on this day in class, what were to happen if I were to come to the exact same floor tile and stand in it, at the exact same time, 10:30pm every night, for the rest of the week…and month…and year…and decade…for the rest of time?”
“Or put another way: what I am doing, or not doing, over that time period, versus what the planets, stars and moon are doing above me, over that same time period?”
Again, over 17 years of answers from 15 and 16 year olds are always the same, yet not always in the same order when I call on them:
I am not moving…while the planets, stars and moon, are moving above.
These conclusions from 15 and 16 year olds in the 21st century in the United States, are pretty much the same scientific conclusions that Ptolemy came to in the second century in Alexandria, Egypt.
How is these scientific conclusions possible?
By using syllogism:
Part A – Ptolemy stands in the same location, at the same time, in the same place, and thus he does not move;
Part B – Ptolemy looks up and sees stars, planets, and the moon all around him, and they are all moving throughout the sky over time;
Part C – Ptolemy concludes that the Earth does not move because he is standing still, while everything up above him in the sky is moving over time.
The science is pretty clear using Aristotle’s scientific logic. By using syllogism it is clear to see that the universe revolves around Earth.
And thus, Ptolemy’s Geocentric Model of the known universe has now been created in the second century over in Alexandria, Egypt…
Almost 2,000 years ago as I write this today.
Ptolemy’s Geocentric Model makes perfect sense, right?
The science is obviously settled…while we here on Earth are not moving, the items up in the sky…planets, stars and the moon, are all moving over time.
You really don’t need to be a scientist to understand that we are the center of the known universe…
Right?
In fact, the Catholic Church endorsed Ptolemy’s Geocentric Model regarding the known universe.
For over 1,000 years….
Why did the Catholic Church endorse and teach throughout the universities in Europe, that the Geocentric Model was correct regarding astronomy and the universe?
That will be covered next time.
Do not feel discouraged if you are still trying to reconcile your thoughts regarding Ptolemy’s Geocentric Model. Do not feel discouraged if you are still trying to figure out what astronomy has to do with Jesus of Nazareth. Instead, embrace the idea that as you gather scientific facts, embrace the idea that as you learn more, the more solid the foundation you are building once you do come to a final conclusion regarding science.
1The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.” (Ecclesiastes 19:1 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 67: The Scientific Revolution – Part 1.
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: