What is meant by pre-scientific understanding of the universe?

Answer 1

This is used to refer to people whose understanding of the universe predates the modern scientific methods developed since people like Copernicus, Galileo, Keppler, and Brehe came on the scene. These based their understanding of the universe on empirical observation and then formed theories to explain it. Keppler, also a mathematician, gave us a number of laws which explain planetary motion.

Ptolemy who developed the system which existed before this also made observations of planets moving. His error was not to take into account his point of reference, the earth. He thus believed that they revolved around the earth and not the sun and developed a system to explain this.

In this case it is difficult to say how Ptolemy should be viewed since he clearly made observations and developed a theory to account for them. Probably there was not enough scientific rigor in his work and he undoubtedly had limits to available technology. And so some would regard him as pre-scientific as well.

Interestingly, for all his greatness, even Galileo would not accept Kepplers view that the planets had slightly elliptical orbits, since he believed that perfectly circular orbits would better reflect God's glory. In this he was not being strictly empirical as Keppler had made many observations as well as having access to data from Tycho Brehe.

Generally, a pre-scientific understanding is one before the development of modern scientific methods of observation, including repeatability and verifiability. People thus made theories based on what little they could observe or, in Galileo's case above on both observation coupled with his religious ideas about what would constitute perfection in the works of God.

Sometimes this is used in a derogatory fashion towards people who are regarded as primitive even though they are using language which we still use today from our reference point on the earth of the sun rising and setting. They are also making observations, but not in the same scientific sense we do today. The fact of the sun rising is certainly a valid observation from the reference point of the observer on earth, just as the earth rising was a valid observation for Jim Lovell and those with him in Apollo in lunar orbit.

The connotation of someone having a pre-scientific understanding is used sometimes in a manner which downgrades the intelligence of people who lived before the modern scientific era. Particularly this comes up with regard to The Bible. People were no less intelligent then. In 50 years time we may look back on ourselves as somewhat primitive in certain aspects. Some of the ancient works of people like Plato and Aristotle and Cicero, not to mention Homer and Virgil are still studied with profit today.