AaS! 139: Astro101 Part 1 - Why bother with astronomy?

Ask a Spaceman!

Paul M. Sutter

Astrophysics, Science, Cosmos, Holes, Black, Astronomy, Natural Sciences, Universe, Cosmology, Space, Physics

4.8 • 853 Ratings

🗓️ 3 November 2020

⏱️ 35 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

It’s time for school! The Astro101 series will cover some of the most important questions in astronomy. In today’s lesson, we’ll have: Why did people used to study astronomy? Why do they continue to study astronomy? What’s the deal with all this weird jargon? I discuss these questions and more in today’s Ask a Spaceman!

Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter
All episodes: http://www.AskASpaceman.com

Follow on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/PaulMattSutter
Like on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PaulMattSutter
Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PaulMSutter

Read a book: http://www.pmsutter/book
Go on an adventure: http://www.AstroTours.co

Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, physics, and cosmology coming to #AskASpaceman for COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE OF TIME AND SPACE!

Big thanks to my top Patreon supporters this month: Matthew K, Justin Z, Justin G, Kevin O, Duncan M, Corey D, Barbara K, Neuterdude, Chris C, Robert M, Nate H, Andrew F, Chris L, Cameron L, Naila, Aaron S, Tom B, Scott M, Billy T, Rob H Tim R, Joe R, Neil P, Bryan D, Irene P, Matt C, Iothian53, Steve P, Debra S, Ken L, Alberto M, Ron W, Chris L, Mark R, Alan B, Stephen J, David P, John F, Maureen R, Frank T, Craig B, Jesse A, Steven L, Ulfert B, Dave L, Stace J, S Stark, Richard K, Carol S, Stephen M, Grace M, Jeremy K, Russell W, David B, Tamara F, Robert B, Fr Bruce W, Catherine R, Nicolai B, Sean M, Nate H, Edward K, Ped, Chuck C, Stephen S, Elizabeth W, Eric F, Tracy F, Callan R, George, Tom G, Tom, Sarah K, Jens O, Ella F, Sarah K, JJ_Holy, G Clune, Ryan L, Cindy R, Judy D, Sam R, Tom Van S, Thomas K, James C, Jorg D, Nicole M, Syamkumar M, John S, db8y97, Fred S, COTFM, Darren W, Norm Z, Howard A, Homer V, Kevin P, Robert H, Mark D, Ron S, David W, Antonio M, Brianna V, Becky L, Bruce A, Arthur, Bill H, Justin W, Colin B, Steven M, Richard S, Brent B, Bill E, and Jim L!

Music by Jason Grady and Nick Bain. Thanks to Cathy Rinella for editing.

Hosted by Paul M. Sutter, astrophysicist and the one and only Agent to the Stars (http://www.pmsutter.com).

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	So back in the day, and I'm talking really back in the day. This is past oldy times.
0:12.8	This is, we're talking centuries. If you wanted an education, you didn't have a lot of options.
0:18.8	Mostly because you were poor and starving, but that's another
0:21.3	discussion. The educational options, this tradition that I'm going to talk about, dates back to
0:27.7	Europe before the first universities opened their doors a thousand years ago. And remember,
0:34.2	universities tend to have lifetimes longer than nations. And actually, the invention of the university is a pretty awesome and unique thing, but that's
0:41.7	not my podcast.
0:43.0	This intellectual tradition that I'm going to talk about, the seeds of it actually stretch
0:47.3	back to Plato, which if you're going to claim intellectual pedigree, then there
0:52.6	aren't a lot of better options.
0:55.3	So when you wanted an education and you had the ability to have an education, you either went
1:01.8	to study something practical like medicine or architecture through some sort of special school
1:06.9	or a collection of trainers or apprenticeships, or you trained in something called
1:12.0	the liberal arts.
1:14.0	If you showed up at university or a proto-university, you started with a curriculum called
1:19.6	the Trivium, which is Latin for three ways or the place where three ways meet.
1:25.1	And yes, there's a law of Latin involved in this discussion,
1:27.8	because even though the Roman Empire died, it still lives on in our hearts. These three things
1:33.4	that you studied, these three subjects were grammar, logic, and rhetoric. You studied the structure
1:38.7	of language, the structure of thought, and then how to apply logic and reasoning and thought in the use
1:46.8	of language to try to influence and convince people and make things happen.
1:51.9	And after some amount of time, like a few years, you were awarded with some sort of degree,
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Paul M. Sutter, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Paul M. Sutter and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.