On Wednesday, September 28, 2016 at 6:54:30 AM UTC+1, vidcapper wrote:
On 27/09/2016 17:21, JohnD wrote:


David, I don't think that you need to be a scientist to understand what
lies behind this continuing challenge to Alistair, because at heart it's
about one basic principle: Scientific theories and explanations can be
complicated enough even for professional scientists. So there's a basic
tenet that you always look for the simplest theory that might apply,
consistent with explaining all the known observations.


Unfortunately that leads to ideas like the Earth being at the centre of
the universe - but far worse is when such erroneous notions are backed
up by force by whoever is in charge at the time.

--

Paul Hyett, Cheltenham

Well, quite the opposite. To agree actual observations with the Earth being at the centre of the universe involved an indredibly complex explanation.

Once it was accepted that the Earth was in orbit of the sun, and the moon in orbit of the Earth - then it became simple.

Graham
Penzance