If the first known occurence of the concept is older than any person can be associated with it, where and when is the oldest know occurence of the concept?
I cannot figure out a search which delivers an answer to this question.
It just strikes me that any ancient intelligent human who would come up with a an accurate concept of what the sun is would come up with the concept that the stars were the same.
sunshine in the daytime and starlight in the night? similarity.
I would guess the concept is quite ancient, despite the superstitious beliefs of modern or ancient religions.
thinkaboutit
Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 9:45 pm
Joined: 05 Jun 2008 Posts: 1
This guy?
Giordano (Filippo) Bruno (1548-1600) was an Italian philosopher, poet, and priest who spread the ideas of Copernicus as well as his own ideas that there were an infinity of worlds in the universe and that the stars were other suns. He was burned at the stake for heresy.
"despite the superstitious beliefs of modern or ancient religions."
Considering the fact that a lot of people in the Sciences were religious, I woudn't take a view of "despite". Most scientific discoveries were made by religious people and supported by religions.
Betsy3491
Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 4:13 am
Joined: 18 Jun 2008 Posts: 1
That's a really good question...
It was probably one of the Greeks. I think it's amazing that Aristarchus of Samos (310 to 230 b.c.) figured out so much. He figured out everything that Copernicus did--that all the planets including the Earth revolve in circles around the sun and that the Earth rotates on its axis once every 24 hours. I'll bet he figured it out, although none of his written works remain so we'll never know.
