In the early 16th Century an Englishman wrote the first modern book about birds. Amazingly he had the utter gall to write about observations of his own that had not been previously noted by Aristotle or other classical writers who were still considered the ultimate authorities in such matters at that time.
It is the Greek and Roman writers we have to thank for such insights as gutting birds at Mt. Olympus to read their entrails to learn of future events, and the “fact” that swallows spend the winter under lakes. Aristotle also concluded that eels are generated from mud. Worse still, he found women “deformed” and concluded some people are only fit to be slaves. Yet he is credited with being the world’s first observing scientist. Evidence that all scientific theories are as good as the evidence to back them up. Yet that is no reason to give up acceptance of evidence and fall down the Republican sink-hole of belief and faith over reality.
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