[Skooz]

he merely demonstrated that the generally accepted geocentric model could be represented mathematically by a system of cycles and epicycles.

Which was accepted as "proof" enough for 1500 years. I was using the word "proof" in the vernacular, and not as a research scientist would use it.

[eastsider]

My apologies for sounding critical. I haven't been following this thread, and your post just caught my eye.

As long as I'm here, I'd like to add that the proofs (in the vernacular sense : ) supporting the geocentric model prior to Ptolemy were common-sense notions, such as, "If the earth moved, there would be great winds sweeping everyone off their feet"; "If the earth moved, then when someone jumped up, he would land in a different spot"; etc.