At a guess? That this was the way they interpreted the world so they'd read it much as we'd read a science book (those that were literate) - why do you assume i

At a guess? That this was the way they interpreted the world so they'd read it much as we'd read a science book (those that were literate) - why do you assume it was fringe? It's easy to forget how different things were. Mathematics was considered a branch of magic, possibly even by newton, and there's evidence that the romans equated magic with mathematics (I have looked before but can't find my original ref, sorry). Astronomy grew out of astrology. Chemistry grew out of alchemy. It was thought mice were produced abiogenically from the decay of grain - literally rotting grain produced mice (found a ref, gives quite a bit of detail: https://www2.nau.edu/gaud/bio301/content/spngen.htm https://www2.nau.edu/gaud/bio301/content/spngen.htm) IIRC a cart ran out of control and killed someone. The cart was put on trial, found guilty and hung (edit: for murder). I think that was some medieval times. It's easy to assume one's own worldview is, was, and always will be. That's why I find some history so fascinating.