[Avodah] moon and sun

[Zev Sero]

On 24/08/2011 3:05 PM, Eli Turkel wrote:
>>> What does it mean that moon and sun talked - they are inanimate

>> How do you know?  The Rambam says they are intelligent; what grounds
>> exist to question that?
>
> I am having trouble believing that Zev is serious. Does he know that men
> have landed on the moon and they did not talk to the moon.

And therefore?  *That's* your proof that it's not intelligent?!  That the
astronauts didn't talk to it?!


> The sun consists of gases undergoing various nuclear reactions.

Yes.  And therefore?  How does that prevent it from being intelligent?


> We can ask a question on the Rambam what is the origin of his theory.

Why would it occur to us to question it?  If he says it then he must
surely have had it bekabalah; where else would he get it?


> The whole difference between modern and ancient science is that
> ancient science rested on authority while modern science relies on
> experimental evidence.

And exactly what experiment would you conduct to test whether the
celestial bodies are intelligent?


> My problem is that many meforshim take it literally.

Indeed; because there's no reason not to.


-- 
Zev Sero        If they use these guns against us once, at that moment
zev at sero.name   the Oslo Accord will be annulled and the IDF will
                 return to all the places that have been given to them.
		                            - Yitzchak Rabin