PHIL 160D3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 15: Almagest, Teleology, Essentialism
Document Summary
Core beliefs cannot be changed without changing many other beliefs in the system. Peripheral beliefs can be changed without changing many other beliefs in the system. Earth revolves on its axis, completing a rotation about every 24 hours. Earth and planets move in elliptical orbits around the sun. There are slightly more than 100 basic elements. Objects behave as they do mostly because of the influence of external forces. Planets and stars are composed of the same basic elements as objects on earth. The same laws that describe the behavior of objects on earth also apply to other planets. Earth is located at the center of the universe. The moon, planets, and sun revolve around the earth evert 24 hours. In sublunary region, there are four basic elements: earth, water, air, fire. Objects in the superlunary region are composed of a fifth element: ether. Each element has an essential nature, which is the reason it behaves as it does.