He believed that all Earthy matter was drawn to the centre of the Earth, so a sphere was the natural shape. He noticed that during lunar eclipses, the Earth's shadow was round and he noticed that when you go North or South a long ways, the stars that you can see change.
Aristotle argued that the universe is spherical and finite. Spherical, because that is the most perfect shape; finite, because it has a center, viz. the center of the earth, and a body with a center cannot be infinite. He believed that the earth, too, is a sphere. It is relatively small compared to the stars, and in contrast to the celestial bodies, always at rest. For one of his proofs of this latter point, he referred to an empirically testable fact: if the earth were in motion, an observer on it would see the fixed stars as moving, just as he now observes the planets as moving, that is from a stationary earth. However, since this is not the case, the earth must be at rest. To prove that the earth is a sphere, he produced the argument that all earthly substances move towards the center, and thus would eventually have to form a sphere. He also used evidence based on observation. If the earth were not spherical, lunar eclipses would not show segments with a curved outline. Furthermore, when one travels northward or southward, one does not see the same stars at night, nor do they occupy the same positions in the sky. That the celestial bodies must also be spherical in shape, can be determined by observation. In the case of the stars, Aristotle argued that they would have to be spherical, as this shape, which is the most perfect, allows them to retain their positions. Aristotle, like Eudoxus and Callippus before him, believed that each planet followed the path laid out by a certain number of spheres. Callippus had postulated 33 spheres in all, 4 each for Saturn and Jupiter, 5 each for Mars, Venus, Mercury, the sun and the moon. The problem with this model, however, was that, according to Aristotle, it did not explain how the motion of the outer spheres was to be prevented from interfering with the motion of the inner spheres. Aristotle therefore attempted a mechanical explanation, and postulated 22 counteracting spheres, which would set things in balance. It is generally held that Aristotle's addition of these counteracting spheres complicated rather than cleared up the problem of planetary motion.
The concept of a spherical Earth dates back to ancient Greek scholars, around the 6th century BC. Philosophers like Pythagoras and later Aristotle provided evidence for a round Earth through observations of celestial bodies and the shape of Earth's shadow during lunar eclipses.
Aristotle was a geocentric believer( the earth was at the center of the universe.
Magellan's sailors proved one of Aristotle's theories by circumnavigating the Earth, which demonstrated that the Earth is a sphere. This contradicted the prevailing belief at the time that the Earth was flat.
Aristotle's philosophical ideas encompass a wide range of topics, including ethics, metaphysics, political theory, and aesthetics. He believed in the pursuit of eudaimonia, or human flourishing, through the development of virtue and rationality. Aristotle also proposed the concept of the golden mean, emphasizing moderation and balance in all things. Additionally, he outlined a systematic approach to scientific inquiry and classification of knowledge.
Aristotle observed that during a lunar eclipse, the shadow of the Earth on the moon is round. This led him to conclude that the Earth must be spherical. Additionally, he noted that as ships sail away from the shore, their hulls disappear before their masts, indicating the curvature of the Earth.
The Greek philosopher Pythagoras is often credited with being one of the first to propose that the Earth is spherical around 500 BC. However, it was the later work of scientists like Aristotle and Eratosthenes that provided more concrete evidence for the Earth's spherical shape.
Aristotle believed the Earth was round due to observations such as the curved shadow it casts on the moon during a lunar eclipse. He argued that the Earth's spherical shape was also supported by the fact that different constellations are visible at different latitudes.
Aristotle believed that the Earth was spherical in shape because of the observed curvature of its shadow during a lunar eclipse, the way ships disappear over the horizon, and the circular shape of the Earth's shadow on the moon during a lunar eclipse.
This is because Aristotle is a philosopher and not a astrophysicist.
Aristotle developed a theory that the earth was the center of the universe, and all the planets were attached to it via fifty-five invisible spheres. The moon was close enough to be within the earth's realm, and as a result, possessed the ability to go through phases. He believed these spheres were made up of a substance he called Aether.
Aristotle observed that during a lunar eclipse, the shape of the Earth's shadow on the moon was curved. He reasoned that only a spherical object could cast a curved shadow, leading him to believe that the Earth was round. Additionally, Aristotle noted that as ships sail away from the shore, the hull disappears before the mast, suggesting the curvature of the Earth.
WHAT demonstrates that the Earth is spherical?!
He thought that all earthly matter was drawn to the centre of the Earth through natural motion, so a sphere was the most natural shape. He noticed that the shadow of the Earth was curved during lunar eclipses, and he noticed that travelling significant distances North or South allowed you to see different stars.
Greek philosopher Aristotle believed that the Earth is round and rotates on its axis, causing day and night. He observed that different stars were visible in different parts of the world at the same time, which led him to conclude that the Earth was spherical and rotating.
Yajnavalkya is the person who first recognized that the earth was spherical in his astronomical text Shatapatha Brahmana. Later on, other Scientist namely Aristotle and Galileo confirmed the same.
Yajnavalkya is the person who first recognized that the earth was spherical in his astronomical text Shatapatha Brahmana. Later on, other Scientist namely Aristotle and Galileo confirmed the same.