MODERN MAN

~ 48 ~ Almajest. This concept dominated the minds of the people all over the world for about 1500 years, until, in the 16th century, Copernicus, Galileo and Kepler carried out researches, which ultimately proved its falsity. But it was the Muslims, who first transferred to Europe the concept of the earth being round and the almost correct concept of the causes of the ebb and flow of the tides. If a wrong concept about the revolution of the earth remained predominant for such a long period of time, it was due to the error of regarding something non-sacred as sacred. The Christians believed that the earth was a sacred sphere, being the birthplace of the son of God (Christ). Because of this belief, they found the notion that the earth was the centre around which the whole universe revolved exactly in accordance with their religious beliefs. It was this idea of the earth’s sacredness, which came in the way of the Christians making any further investigation. It was not until the naked reality finally forced itself upon them that they stopped adhering to this theory. The Encyclopaedia Britannica (1984) says: