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History of science[edit]

I am editing the below portions from the History of Science wiki page.

Natural Philosophy[edit]

Adding after the first para to the Natural Philosophy subheading, as there is nothing stated on Aristotle's cosmological or elemental theories in this subheading where Aristotle is mentioned quite often.

EDIT ADDITION - Aristotle also contributed to theories of the elements and the cosmos. He believed that the celestial bodies (such as the planets and the Sun) had something called an unmoved mover that put the celestial bodies in motion. Aristotle tried to explain everything through mathematics and physics, but sometimes explained things such as the motion of celestial bodies through a higher power such as God. Aristotle did not have the technological advancements that would have explained the motion of celestial bodies.[1] In addition, Aristotle had many views on the elements. He believed that everything was derived of the elements earth, water, air, fire, and lastly the Aether. The Aether was a celestial element, and therefore made up the matter of the celestial bodies.[2] The elements of earth, water, air and fire were derived of a combination of two of the characteristics of hot, wet, cold, and dry, and all had their inevitable place and motion. The motion of these elements is earth being the closest to the Earth, then water, air, fire, and finally Aether. In addition to the makeup of all things, Aristotle came up with theories as to why things did not return to their natural motion. He understood that water sits above earth, air sits above water, and fire sits above air in their natural state. He explained that although all elements must return to their natural state, the human body and other living things have a constraint on the elements - thus not allowing the elements making one who they are to return to their natural state.[3]

Heliocentrism[edit]

The heliocentric model was revived by Nicolaus Copernicus. The thesis of Copernicus' book was that the Earth moved around the Sun, a revival of the heliocentric model of the solar system described by Aristarchus of Samos.

EDIT - The heliocentric model was revived by Nicolaus Copernicus. The theory of Copernicus was that the Earth and all heavenly spheres (the planets and other objects in the cosmos) rotated around the Sun. Although Copernicus' was correct in this truth, his heliocentric model also proposed that all fixed stars were not rotating on an axis, nor in any motion at all.[4] His theory proposed the yearly rotation of the Earth and the other heavenly spheres around the Sun and was able to calculate the distances of planets using deterrents and epicycles. Although these calculations were not completely accurate, Copernicus was able to understand the distance order of each heavenly sphere (whether or not Venus or Mars is closer to the Sun). The Copernican heliocentric system was not only a revival of the hypotheses of first Aristarchus of Samos and later Seleucus of Seleucia, but an entirely different model of the prior heliocentric hypotheses with only some similarities - not to mistake Copernicus' theory as entirely derived from others' ideas. Aristarchus of Samos did propose that the Earth rotated around the Sun but did not mention anything about the other heavenly spheres' order, motion, or rotation. In addition, he simply hypothesized and thought about it, rather than creating a model or theory. Seleucus of Seleucia also proposed the rotation of the Earth around the Sun but did not mention anything about the other heavenly spheres. He did, however, hypothesize and believe what he thought to be true - closer to a theory of heliocentrism than Aristarchus of Samos. In addition, Seleucus of Seleucia understood that the Moon rotated around the Earth, and could be used to explain the tides of the oceans - thus further proving the understanding of the heliocentric idea.[5]

  1. ^ Aristotle (7 January 2009). "De Caelo" [On the Heavens]. Translated by J. L. Stocks.: The Internet Classics Archive. pp. 279 a17–30.
  2. ^ Frede, Dorothea (1976). "On the Elements: Aristotle's Early Cosmology". Journal of the History of Philosophy. 14 (2): 227–229 – via Project MUSE.
  3. ^ Johnson, Monte (2004). "Review of The Order of Nature in Aristotle's Physics: Place and the Elements, Helen S. Lang". Isis. 95 (4): 687–688. doi:10.1086/432288. ISSN 0021-1753. {{cite journal}}: no-break space character in |title= at position 84 (help)
  4. ^ Knox, Dilwyn (1999). "FICINO, COPERNICUS AND BRUNO ON THE MOTION OF THE EARTH". Bruniana & Campanelliana. 5 (2): 333–366. ISSN 1125-3819.
  5. ^ Carman, Christián C. (2018). "The first Copernican was Copernicus: the difference between Pre-Copernican and Copernican heliocentrism". Archive for History of Exact Sciences. 72 (1): 1–20. ISSN 0003-9519.