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> Animals, which move, have limbs and muscles. The earth does not have limbs and muscles; therefore it does not move. > - Scipio Chiaramonti [Professor of
by johnchristopher 12y ago
> Animals, which move, have limbs and muscles. The earth does not have limbs and muscles; therefore it does not move.
> - Scipio Chiaramonti [Professor of philosophy and mathematics at University of Pisa, arguing against the heliocentrc system, 1633]
I can't help thinking that particular sentence context is more political than `scientific`.
- Symmetry 12y agoIt's also a classic example of an argument that proves too much. If the earth can't move because it lacks limbs then surely the sun isn't able to move either.
- delinka 12y agoAh, but do we know the sun isn't made of limbs and muscles? ;-)
- chetanahuja 12y agoBut we can trivially see a boulder rolling down a hill and know that limbs are not a pre-requisite for motion.
- johnchristopher 12y agoIt's more obvious than that. The argument is logically wrong.