Re: Ptolemy: model or calculator ?

Moorad Alexanian (alexanian@UNCWIL.EDU)
Thu, 22 Oct 1998 12:10:39 -0500 (EST)

At 11:31 AM 10/20/98 -0500, McCarrick, Allan wrote:
>Ross makes the point that the complex geocentric model used by Ptolemy et
>al. was understood by them to be primarily a convention for calculation,
>not a model of "reality". The church when importing ancient learning
>swallowed it whole and blessed it as a picture of the real world.
>
>Any idea which way Ptolemy was thinking ? (I know the Greeks more
>ancient than him had formed a heliocentric model, even with estimates of
>the diameter of the earth, the earth-moon and earth sun distances.)
>
>Al

All that man can do is develop mathematical models to explain nature. The
models are a mere shadow of the real thing. Of course, the scientific models
may be understood by aliens from another planet. In fact, language is also a
model to describe the more personal inner workings of man. For instance,
terms like love, God, etc.---which have no meaning in science--are
understood by us because we are all humans and share the same inner
knowledge and thoughts. But I doubt it very much that an alien from another
planet would understand what loves means no matter how well you communicate
the term in their language if they have to inner knowledge of what love is.
That is why science can never explain the whole of reality. That is why
questions of origins surpass questions of evolution and must be addressed to
get the widest picture of what we are discussing.

Moorad