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Science

Lionel Mandrake

(4,213 posts)

18. Ptolemaic astronomy lives on!

Reply to RussBLib (Original post)

Sun Jul 19, 2015, 08:35 PM

Jul 2015

This time of year, where I live, we say that the Sun rises about 6 AM and sets about 8 PM. That's idiomatic English. We normally speak as if the Sun moved about a stationary Earth. Only when challenged would we explain that what's really happening is that the Earth is spinning on its axis, etc. In debate we are Copernicans, but in ordinary speech we are Ptolemaics. Those with no experience in science probably believe that what they usually say must be true.

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1 in 4 Americans think the sun orbits the earth? [View all] RussBLib Jul 2015 OP

WOW! marym625 Jul 2015 #1

I seem to remember a Jeopardy question a few years ago. ( I may of posted it here) BlueJazz Jul 2015 #2

That's kind of a trick question eridani Jul 2015 #3

Yeah, I remember shocking a younger relative who was forty plus then Cleita Jul 2015 #4

Oh, I wouldn't expect the average person to rattle that out but keep in mind, most people.. BlueJazz Jul 2015 #5

I wouldn't expect the average person AlbertCat Jul 2015 #14

OK..I rather expect them to know that also but being what I've seen in the USA I'm... BlueJazz Jul 2015 #16

I'll see the full moon rise at midnight AlbertCat Jul 2015 #17

Kick WheelWalker Jul 2015 #6

In fourth grade, the nun in my Catholic school... Binkie The Clown Jul 2015 #7

It only takes one good crack to shatter the whole thing, doesn't it? Hydra Jul 2015 #10

Yup, and Catholic school delivered WAY more than one good crack. n/t Binkie The Clown Jul 2015 #13

It would be nice to find out to which demographic this 25% belongs. jonno99 Jul 2015 #8

About the number of the die hard republican base. flying rabbit Jul 2015 #9

There was a nice debunking of this kind of story a couple of years ago. Igel Jul 2015 #11

yes, one has to be careful with "studies" and "data" RussBLib Jul 2015 #12

to inject creationism and the Bible into school curriculums, AlbertCat Jul 2015 #15

Ptolemaic astronomy lives on! Lionel Mandrake Jul 2015 #18