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The ancient Greek philosophers contain some real howlers like Aristotlean impetus and belief that women must have fewer teeth than men because of a smaller skul
by Nasrudith 6y ago
The ancient Greek philosophers contain some real howlers like Aristotlean impetus and belief that women must have fewer teeth than men because of a smaller skull and an assumption that human teeth are identical in size and spacing. They refused to check their ideas to reality under a self indulgent concept of "purity of thought". I blame aristocratic influnce and the disdain for the practical.
- denton-scratch 6y agoThat would be the "pre-socratics". I was forced to study them for my degree, and I could barely contain my laughter. Some of those guys had some pretty bonkers beliefs, and it does seem to be true that they often disdained actually cheecking their claims empirically. A few of them were on the nail, though, at least sometimes; Democritus, for example.
- BlueTemplar 6y agoFunny also how pythagoricians found some mathematical truths and went all cult-like because of it...