The idea that the radiation from the sun is a constant (solar
constant) is based on an 18th Century concept that God created the
world and then let it like run a clockwork machine, al la Newton.

Cheers, Alastair.


I'm not sure that your reference to Newton is correct Alastair. AFAIK he
believed specifically in intervention rather than a purely docetist view
(e.g.comets). I get rather concerned with the factuality of sweeping
generalisations as to the origins of scientific understanding, much as
some of the origins of language can at times be ambiguous.

Cheers

--
James Brown