In the insignificant existence of humanity, those who possess the scientific brilliance to discover new data as well as the brave audacity to challenge previous theories bring us closer to a true contemplation of the universe. Similarly, throughout the work of scientists, noticeably Nicholas Copernicus and Galilei Galileo, the human understanding of the universe grew from an arrogant system that revolves around Earth into the eloquent heliocentric system we now know to be true today.
The employment of new technology and data is the first prominent step in the astronomical revolution, pushing the scientific community to update or reinvent old theories as attempts to accommodate for new phenomena that were unpredicted by obsolete models. For …show more content…
Seldom does any ordinary citizen conceive the remarkableness of scientific breakthroughs, especially during the 1500's, yet it is this very public approval that determines the survival of new concepts. As stated by the evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins in his book The Selfish Gene, the meme of the scientists--- a non-physical and conceptual version of a gene--- "may live on, intact, long after [their] genes have dissolved in the common pool" (Dawkins 199). If the meme is capable of spreading in a manner not unlike the virus of the mind, then the said scientific concept has far higher chances of surviving in the public knowledge and being studied upon by later minds. For example, the popularization of the heliocentric theory begun with Newton studying Galileo’s Dialogue at Trinity College in 1661, which eventually lead to the publication of his masterpiece Principia Mathematica that cemented the heliocentric theory with new proofs and corrections. As ideas diffuse culturally long after the death of the initial scientist, more researchers add evidence and improvements that would ultimately solidify the theory into a fool-proof and unquestionable fact. Though the scientist devises brilliant scientific theories, it is the public approval that ultimately determines the success of such …show more content…
Copernicus, though ingenious in his concept of the heliocentric theory, “waited over 20 years before he published his ideas on the heliocentric Universe”, simply because “He was afraid of creating controversy” (Brown, 9). Galileo, on the other hand, published his bold proposal despite his clear awareness of the opposition posed by the Roman Catholic church. Consequently, citizens of Italy are more aware of this new phenomenon thanks to the controversy invoked by Galileo, rather than the silent brilliance of Copernicus that disappeared with his death. Even though his bold actions have caused Galileo his freedom, the debate sparked long-lasting skepticism regarding the geocentric theory in future generation. As strange as it may appear, daring actions play a crucial role in pushing the human understanding towards the heliocentric
The employment of new technology and data is the first prominent step in the astronomical revolution, pushing the scientific community to update or reinvent old theories as attempts to accommodate for new phenomena that were unpredicted by obsolete models. For …show more content…
Seldom does any ordinary citizen conceive the remarkableness of scientific breakthroughs, especially during the 1500's, yet it is this very public approval that determines the survival of new concepts. As stated by the evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins in his book The Selfish Gene, the meme of the scientists--- a non-physical and conceptual version of a gene--- "may live on, intact, long after [their] genes have dissolved in the common pool" (Dawkins 199). If the meme is capable of spreading in a manner not unlike the virus of the mind, then the said scientific concept has far higher chances of surviving in the public knowledge and being studied upon by later minds. For example, the popularization of the heliocentric theory begun with Newton studying Galileo’s Dialogue at Trinity College in 1661, which eventually lead to the publication of his masterpiece Principia Mathematica that cemented the heliocentric theory with new proofs and corrections. As ideas diffuse culturally long after the death of the initial scientist, more researchers add evidence and improvements that would ultimately solidify the theory into a fool-proof and unquestionable fact. Though the scientist devises brilliant scientific theories, it is the public approval that ultimately determines the success of such …show more content…
Copernicus, though ingenious in his concept of the heliocentric theory, “waited over 20 years before he published his ideas on the heliocentric Universe”, simply because “He was afraid of creating controversy” (Brown, 9). Galileo, on the other hand, published his bold proposal despite his clear awareness of the opposition posed by the Roman Catholic church. Consequently, citizens of Italy are more aware of this new phenomenon thanks to the controversy invoked by Galileo, rather than the silent brilliance of Copernicus that disappeared with his death. Even though his bold actions have caused Galileo his freedom, the debate sparked long-lasting skepticism regarding the geocentric theory in future generation. As strange as it may appear, daring actions play a crucial role in pushing the human understanding towards the heliocentric