Aristotelian-Ptolemaic vs. Mechanistic and Modern Cosmology

Characteristics of the Aristotelian-Ptolemaic Cosmovision

Organicism:

• The Universe is like a living organism.
• Each part of the Universe serves a function.

Anthropocentrism:

• The geocentric quality of this cosmovision is a form of anthropocentrism.
• The Earth, the place in which human beings live, is at the center of the Universe.

Finalism:

• All natural changes have a "final cause", i.e., an ultimate objective. The changes pursue this objective.

Heterogeneity:

• The Aristotelian cosmos is not a "universe" but a "diverse": it has diverse regions.

Philosophical Positions on the Existence of God

• Theism: Affirms the existence of a personal, supernatural, and transcendental God. God is not just the cause of reality, He also governs it.
• Deism: Affirms that God exists and created the Universe but maintains that human reason cannot comprehend anything beyond that general notion.
• Pantheism: Identifies God with nature. Consequently, it claims that God is not transcendental nor a personal being.
• Agnosticism: Neither affirms nor denies the existence of God. It simply claims that human understanding is unable to provide a satisfactory answer.
• Atheism: Denies the existence of God and all supernatural beings. There is nothing beyond natural reality.

Characteristics of the Mechanistic Model of the Universe

Mechanical:

• The Universe is composed of particles of matter. They move according to deterministic laws which can be expressed using mathematics.
• Only one cause is accepted, the efficient cause, denying the existence of finalism as presented by Aristotle.

Determinate:

• If all physical phenomena are governed by causal laws, once a particular phenomenon and the causes that generated it are known, it is possible to accurately describe any past or future event.

Mathematical:

• Mathematics is the only valid means of studying nature.
• Qualities that cannot be expressed mathematically have no value.

Homogenous:

• Nature is governed by principles of simplicity (excessive causes are to be rejected for simple ones) and uniformity (two identical effects always have identical causes).

Rejection of Anthropocentrism:

• In the heliocentric model, the Earth revolves around the Sun and it is no longer at the center of the Universe.
• A feeling of smallness and insignificance is felt by people who embrace the Copernican model.

Differences Between Current and Past Cosmovisions

Fragmented:

The current cosmovision differs from previous ones in that it is based on several different theories. Each theory explains a part of reality:

• The theory of relativity explains the "astronomical Universe."
• Newton's theory explains our "everyday reality."
• Quantum theory explains the "subatomic Universe."

Irreversible:

The principle of entropy and chaos theory reject the mechanistic concept that all physical processes are reversible. They also reject that those processes pursue a predetermined purpose, as proposed by Aristotle.

Indeterminate:

Accepting chaos theory means that it is impossible to predict the future. This is because we cannot have complete knowledge of the present. Scientific laws are no longer deterministic. Instead, they are probabilistic.

Rejects Objective Knowledge:

Modern-day theories highlight the influence the observer has on the object of observation. The observer affects and modifies the observed object. As a result, objective knowledge is impossible to attain.