Re: Elemental Physics

>Only in this century has mankind achieved anything approaching what the
>Greeks achieved.  They had invented an internal combustion engine,
>practiced relatively advanced dentistry, surgery and mathematics, and, yes,
>they did know that the earth revolved around the sun (as did the Chinese,
>Babylonians, ancient Hebrews, Egyptians, Mayans, Hindus, Incans, Aztecs,
>Celts - nearly everyone except the Christians knew about the earth
>revolving about the sun).

Slavery's one theory of why the scientific principles known in the Ancient
world were not applied in practical terms,  but it certainly is not proven
(or even accepted by a majority of historians), there are other factors,
like their respect for ancient knowledge. Afterall, slaves were _not_
cheap. Quite the opposite, so producing something which allows one to use
fewer slaves to do the same job would actually save money.

As for the Sun theory, your use of the terms "Christians" and "Hindus" here
is incorrect,  you shouldn't mix identification of people by
race/nationality with identification by religion in this example.  Some
Ancient Greeks knew the sun revolved around the earth, but it didn't become
the dominent interpretation for the mediterranean world. Aristotles
interpretations did, and they were accepted long before Christianity became
the dominent religion of the Greeks, Eygptians,Celts, and other
Mediterranean/Northern European peoples.

"We look on the same stars,  the sky is common,  the same world surrounds
us.  What difference does it make by what pains each seeks the truth?  We
can not attain to so great a secret by one road..."
Symmachus,  "Memorial on the Occasion of the Removal of the Altar of
Victory from the Senate House" (392 AD)

Paul Westermeyer,  westermeyer.3@???.edu
Phd Candidate, History, Ohio State
Adjunct Faculty, Humanities Department, Columbus State Community College