Aristotelian Vs. Newtonian Cosmology

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses how the change from Aristotle's world view to Newton's ideas was slowed down by the religious backlash of the time and a lack of technology. The paper rhwn explains how the transition happened and relates that when the change occurred, it was perhaps the most dramatic shift in view that mankind has ever known. The paper points out that at the same time, every step along the way was logical and fit the standard scientific method almost perfectly.

From the Paper:

"The Aristotelian world view was unique when compared to previous views of the universe because "it furnished a complete physical description of the universe and the forces acting within the universe" (Hetherington 177). His cosmology was a coherent chain of thought that was "closely interwoven" (Hetherington 177) with his version of physics. While his view of the cosmos managed to maintain for around two millennia, it was purely philosophical and did not provide any quantitative basis on which to make predictions for various observed phenomena, such as the retrograde movement of planets. For this reason, Ptolemy's astronomical work must also be included in the discussion of the Aristotelian world view, despite its contradictions with Aristotle's claims."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Hetherington, Norriss. Cosmology: Historical, Literary, Philosophical, Religious, and Scientific Perspectives. New York and London. Garland Publishing, Inc.: 1993.
• Livio, Mario. The Accelerating Universe: Infinite Expansion, the Cosmological Constant, and the Beauty of the Cosmos. New York. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.: 2000.

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