From antiquity to the Renaissance, man believed that the Earth was the center of the entire Universe. In this sense, it was understood that the Sun and all the planets revolved around our planet. This view of the world is known as geocentric theory or geocentrism.
The geocentric model
Philosophers like Eudoxo, Aristotle and later astronomers like Ptolemy were the first to propose this explanatory model of the universe. According to geocentrism, the Earth is firm and totally immobile, while the celestial bodies appear and disappear throughout the day.
The observation of reality seemed to confirm the central thesis of the theory. The planetary model of geocentrism was also based on the circular movement of the stars around the Earth, since it was understood that the circle was a perfect figure and that perfection had to govern the movement of the planets in the heavens.
The theory remained as a cosmological model for almost 2,000 years and had the unconditional support of the Catholic Church.
For Catholic theologians there were great similarities between the Holy Scriptures and scientific descriptions of geocentrism. On the other hand, for the Catholic Church it was totally logical that the Earth was the true center of the world, since human beings are found there, the creatures created by the will of God.
Geocentrism was much more than an astronomical theory. In fact, this vision of the universe was present in art and in all culture in general (in Dante’s “The Divine Comedy” the terrestrial and celestial structure of geocentrism is literally narrated).
A new theory that was initially rejected
Beginning in the Renaissance, scientists such as Kepler and Copernicus began to question the geocentric model of the universe. Copernicus is considered the father of a new vision of the cosmos, the heliocentric theory or heliocentrism. According to the new approach, the Sun is at the center of the universe, so the Earth and the rest of the planets revolve around it. During the Renaissance, men of science divided into two camps: some supporting geocentrism and others heliocentrism.
From the incorporation of the telescope in planetary observations, Galileo managed to demonstrate that the heliocentric theory was the true one. His proofs and demonstrations were conclusive, but despite this his vision of the universe was considered a heresy that was opposed to the sacred texts.
The heliocentric theory prevailed over the geocentric one when scientists abandoned speculative explanations and focused on empirical observations of reality.
Photo: Fotolia – Naeblys
Following