The place of the Earth in the system of the universe from ancient times worried thinkers. The lack of technical means of accurate research of space objects and the insignificant experience of astrophysics inherited from previous generations did not allow scientists of Ancient Greece and the Middle Ages to form a complete and correct opinion about the structure of the Universe. Nevertheless, the authors of the first theories of cosmology laid the foundation on which the foundations of modern knowledge were subsequently formed. And of particular importance in this sense are the geocentric and heliocentric systems of the world, which stimulated entire generations of scientists and thinkers of different times to conduct new research.
The concept of geocentrism
This is a system of the universe in which the central place is given to the Earth. In this case, the Sun rotates around its axis. In accordance with the geocentric coordinate system, the starting point of reference is also placed on Earth. It is important to note that the universe, according to this theory, is limited. The answer to the question of who created the geocentric system of the world is known today, although multiple variations of the theory make it possible to talk about several authors. Still, the founder of this concept was Claudius Ptolemy, who gave rise to the idea of the central location of the Earth in the Universe. If we talk about different interpretations of this theory, then Thales of Miletus, for example, considered the presence of support on the globe mandatory.
There are also versions that the Earth is in a constant position and does not even rotate. On the other hand, the geocentric system of the world of Ptolemy in the classical form involves the rotation of celestial bodies. In particular, his research began with an analysis of the relationship of the moon, which moved around the planet. Later, the author of the theory came to the conclusion about the rotation of the planet itself. In parallel, various assumptions were put forward regarding how the Earth maintains its constant position.
Astronomical phenomena in the system of geocentrism
The explanation of the uneven motion of celestial bodies was the most difficult for ancient Greek astronomers. New ideas about the movement of planets in different eccentrics shed light on the relationship between the luminaries, but at the same time posed difficult tasks of a different order. At the same time, the geocentric system of the world of Ptolemy had discrepancies with the Pythagorean-Platonic teachings, according to which the celestial bodies had a divine origin - therefore, they had to make only uniform movements. Adherents of this theory developed special models where the complex movements of objects were interpreted as the combined result of the addition of several uniform rotations around the circle. True, with the advent of the theory of bisection of eccentricity, such concepts have lost relevance.
Justification of the geocentric system of the universe
Among the main tasks facing the adherents of geocentrism, it is worth highlighting the substantiation of the central place of the Earth and its immobility. If, regarding the second condition of the universe, even the author of the geocentric system of the world, Claudius Ptolemy, spoke critically, the idea of the position of the planet remained the basis of the theory. One of the supporters of this concept was Aristotle, who justified the central place of the globe by its severity. According to the worldview of that time, only the center of the universe can be a natural place for heavy bodies . This understanding was reinforced by the fact that heavy weight causes objects to fall plumb. Since all cosmic bodies are directed toward the center of the world, a heavy Earth is more likely to be located at this point.
There were other theories explaining the central position of the earth. For example, Ptolemy supported the idea of the impossibility of the planet to occupy another place in the universe. This was explained quite simply - by eliminating the northern or southern location of the Earth relative to the center. The thinkers evaluated how the shadows from the Sun could fall with such a configuration, and came to the only possible, in their opinion, option of placing the planet in the center. It must be said that the geocentric and heliocentric systems of the world will diverge in the future precisely in understanding this condition of the configuration of the Universe.
Renaissance geocentrism
Since the early Middle Ages, astronomers began to actively master and develop other versions of this configuration. For example, during the Renaissance, European scholars devoted much attention to the theory of homocentric spheres. Along with this, prerequisites arose for a model that combined the geocentric and heliocentric systems of the world, at least in some aspects. Proponents of such a combination believed that the Earth is still the center of the world, and still, and the Moon and the Sun revolve around its axis. At the same time, the remaining planets, as was believed, were supposed to revolve around the Sun. Such a hypothesis constituted the main competition for a full-fledged heliocentric theory. It is important to note other directions in which the scientists of the Renaissance developed geocentrism. For example, under the influence of natural philosophy, many astronomers turned to the study of supralunar and sublunar worlds. By the way, even Aristotle believed that the heavens are as volatile as the Earth. Opinions have also been expressed that deny the existence of celestial spheres.
Rejection of geocentrism
Intensive development of science in the XVII century. allowed to systematize the accumulated knowledge and improve the understanding of the universe. In this context, the geocentric and heliocentric systems of the world could no longer adjoin, since the second concept was increasingly affirmed by prominent thinkers, among whom were Copernicus and Galileo. Among the main scientific events that contributed to the rejection of geocentrism, the creation of the theory of planetary motions is especially notable. A significant contribution to the advancement of astronomy was made by the telescopic discoveries of Galileo, as well as the discoveries of Kepler's laws.
It is worth noting that geocentrism has long supported the church. Religious supporters of this theory believed that the Earth was created by divine power specifically for man, therefore its central place in the universe is logical and regular. Despite such support, the geocentric system of the world of Copernicus was transformed into a new theory that rejected the central place of the Earth. More advanced telescopic studies completely rejected classical geocentrism and paved the way for heliocentrism.
The essence of the heliocentric system of the world
Although the peak of the development of this concept fell on the Renaissance, its origins originate in ancient Greece. The fact is that during the time of Ptolemy the most attractive was the concept of geocentrism, which left heliocentrism in the shadow. Gradually, the situation changed, which allowed supporters of an alternative point of view to affirm their worldview. This system arose in the Pythagorean school. According to the author of the heliocentric system of the world, Filolaus of Croton, the Earth is no different from other planets and moves around a mystical object, but not the Sun. In the future, this idea was improved by other thinkers, and by the time of the Renaissance, adherents of the theory came to the conclusion that the Sun is the central body, and the Earth revolves around it. Later, Copernicus developed a system in which planets made circular uniform movements.
Comparison of the geocentric and heliocentric systems of the world
For a long time, proponents of the two concepts could not agree on several fundamental aspects. The fact is that both theories had many variations, changed and improved, but the basic principles remained unshakable. The main differences between the geocentric and heliocentric systems of the world came down to the place of the Earth in the Universe and its relation to the Sun. Proponents of the first concept believed that the planet occupies a central position. And, on the contrary, geocentrism assumes that the Earth rotates around the Sun, while also turning around its axis.
The development of heliocentrism by Kepler
The theory since its first formulation has changed significantly by the end of the XVI century. We can say that the creator of the heliocentric system of the world in a form close to modern understanding is Johannes Kepler, who made a significant contribution to the development of astronomy. Even during his studies, he realized the importance of explaining the complex motions of the planets. In the future, he will develop capabilities for calculating the scale of the planetary system using observational data.
From the scientific knowledge formulated by Kepler, one can note the motion of the planets in an ellipse, the introduction of the concept of orbit, as well as the justification of new laws that determine the position of the Earth relative to the Sun. Of course, the Pythagorean creator of the heliocentric system of the world, most likely, did not imagine how much his concept could be developed. But it was precisely the thinkers of antiquity that made it possible to strengthen the idea of the most accurate world order.
The influence of heliocentrism on the development of physics
The dissemination of theory contributed to the development of physics and mechanics. The fact is that for scientists who conducted research in these areas, there was an important question - why is the movement of the globe not felt by people? The answer was the relativity of movement. The geocentric and heliocentric systems of the world represent the effects of gravity in different ways. In the first case, the nested spheres act as the basis of this force, and on the basis of heliocentrism, the law of relativity and the principle of inertia were later formulated. Based on this knowledge, scientists have developed a general method by which almost all problems of mechanics were resolved.
The value of the heliocentric system of the world
In the process of solving the tasks that the heliocentric concept of the universe posed at different times, scientists were able to formulate the principles by which the planetary system is structured. The basis of these studies was planetary motion, which, in turn, influenced the development of physics. We can say that adherents of this theory laid the foundation for mechanics in its classical form. But the answer to the question of what is the significance of the heliocentric system of the world from the point of view of astronomy is much more interesting. First of all, the system stimulated research in the field of stellar cosmology, which allowed to discover new spaces of the Universe. In addition, due to disputes around heliocentrism, a distinction has been made between scientific knowledge and religion.
Conclusion
Despite the significant advancement of technological means of space exploration, even today disputes about the place of the Earth in the Universe, which affect the geocentric and heliocentric system of the world, do not subside. The sun, as before, is one of the cornerstones in discussions of this kind. For example, many creationist scientists admit that no one can give an absolutely accurate answer to questions about the nuances of the rotation of the globe at this stage of progress. As for the central position in the Universe, then not everything is clear here. The fact is that in the conditions of the infinity of space, any point can be considered as a center, so there is no need to speak of a complete victory of heliocentrism over geocentrism.