Ptolemy's system of the heavens put Earth at or near the center. The motivation for this choice was primarily
A) religious, placing mankind at the center of creation.
B) religious, relegating Earth to an inferior position outside the perfect celestial realm.
C) based on observations.
D) based on the mathematics of the Pythagoreans.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Ptolemy's geocentric model, which placed Earth at the center of the universe, was primarily motivated by the observational data available at the time. This model was able to predict the positions of the planets with reasonable accuracy using the complex system of epicycles and deferents, aligning with the observations made by astronomers of his era.

Ptolemy's System of the Heavens Put Earth at or near the Center