Were Aristotle's predictions of heavenly motion quantitative or qualitative?

History · High School · Thu Feb 04 2021

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Aristotle's predictions of heavenly motion were qualitative, not quantitative. Aristotle's model of the universe was geocentric, meaning it placed the Earth at the center. His cosmology was built upon a complex system of concentric spheres which were thought to explain the motion of stars, planets, and other celestial bodies.

Aristotle did not use mathematical formulas or precise measurements to predict the positions and movements of the planets. Instead, he focused on the philosophical and logical aspects of motion, incorporating ideas such as the "prime mover" and "unmoved mover." He described the motions of celestial bodies in terms of their nature and supposed purposes, rather than in terms of numbers and calculations.

His explanations were based on the idea that celestial bodies were perfect and unchanging, and moved in a uniform circular motion throughout the spheres. While he provided a framework for understanding the structure of the cosmos and the motion of heavenly bodies, his method was more conceptual and descriptive, lacking the empirical and mathematical approach that would be characteristic of later astronomical models.