Friday, February 10, 2006

The Geocentrism Challenge

Catholic Apologetcs International will write a check for $1,000 to the first person who can prove that the earth revolves around the sun. (If you lose, then we ask that you make a donation to the apostolate of CAI). Obviously, they at CAI don't think anyone CAN prove it, and thus they can offer such a generous reward.

"Now a word of caution. By "proof" we mean that your explanations must be direct, observable, physical, natural, repeatable, unambiguous and comprehensive. We don't want hearsay, popular opinion, "expert" testimony, majority vote, personal conviction, organizational rulings, superficial analogies, appeals to "simplicity," "apologies" to Galileo, or any other indirect means of persuasion which do not qualify as scientific proof."


Seems to me that nothing actually revolves around any fixed point in the universe and that the motion of objects is relative to the observer.. Anyone to claim to $1,000?

5 comments:

Blog Monkey said...

what are you supposed to do, bring it to them in a jar? based on the testimony they expect, that is all you could potentially do that is not ruled out.

when people walk out my door, they no longer exist, because i cannot physically see them, then.

hooey.

LesleyinNM said...

I would be willing to give them a one way ticket to find out for themselves.

Mother Sharon Damnable said...

Hmmm if the same rules applied to their Catholic theology they'd be scuppered wouldn't they?

I had a quick look at the web site but it left me cold.

The bible "The word of God" Naa it's the word of James 1 of England :>)

lindsaylobe said...

Hi DA

Our understanding of the universe is mainly centred on 2 things. Our ability to measure the distance of the stars from earth and to understand their composition.

Hence we know our solar system is not particularly unique with its sun and revolving planets, held together through gravity as there are billions of others out there in space.

Scientific theories are rigouress and subject to their own proof in observation.

Relative motion is important as in the distribution of energy and matter which warps space time, but that doesn’t stop planets orbiting their suns.

Although science theories are based upon calculations and observation you cant present them on a tray like the head of John the Baptist to Herrod.

So my theory is no one can ever win that $1000 as thats what these people want !!.

The idea of the planets orbiting their sun probably all started out when someone drove a stick into the ground and understood the different shadows demonstrated the interconnectivity between earth and sun.


My Shadow
by Robert Louis Stevenson

I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,
And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.
He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;
And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed.

The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow--
Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow;
For he sometimes shoots up taller like an india-rubber ball,
And he sometimes goes so little that there's none of him at all.

He hasn't got a notion of how children ought to play,
And can only make a fool of me in every sort of way.
He stays so close behind me, he's a coward you can see;
I'd think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me!

One morning, very early, before the Sun was up,
I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup;
But my lazy little shadow, like an arrant sleepy-head,
Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed

DA said...

Bring them the pickles too Blog Monkey:-)

Good idea Lesley. One way ticket to an orbit around the moon..

It is somewhat fundamentalistic indeed Mother D.

Hi Lindsay. Fact is: who is asking the question anyway? We will never win any contest by proving something to be true. What is true in the first place? Wonderful poem you added. Would be great to feel like that kid again. Thx