Question

At one time, many of the beliefs of Western society were based on or supported by the idea that the Earth was the center of the universe. Analyze why people thought this was so, and discuss how it was disproved. Imagine a discovery today that could cause a similar shake-up in the way we view ourselves and our place in the universe.

Answer 1

Ptolemy was an astronomer and mathematician. He believed that the Earth was the center of the Universe. The word for earth in Greek is geo, so we call this idea a "geocentric" theory.With the development of the heliocentric model by Nicolaus Copernicus in the 16th century, the Sun was believed to be the center of the Universe, with the planets (including Earth) and stars orbiting it.