An example of teleology in historical science writing,
"Hence this sphere was studded by God for our sake with a large number of twinkling stars, in order that by comparison with them, surely fixed in place, we might observe the positions and motions of the other enclosed spheres and planets.
Then, in harmony with these arrangements, God stationed in the centre of the stage His governor of nature, king of the entire universe, conspicuous by its divine splendour, the sun…"
Rheticus (1959) The Narratio Prima (1539, Translated by. E. Rosen), in Three Copernican Treatises (Ed. E. Rosen) Dover Publications (pp.107-196).
Rheticus uses metaphors for the sun located (in Copernicus's heliocentric model, that Rheticus was promoting) at the centre of the 'stage', calling it governor and king (its 'divine splendour' being the light emitted).
Read about metaphor in science
Read about examples of science metaphors
Many examples of science metaphors are listed in 'Creative comparisons: Making science familiar through language. An illustrative catalogue of figurative comparisons and analogies for science concepts'. Free Download.
Rheticus also argues that the 'sphere'* of stars (considered fixed in Copernicus's model, and only seeming to move around the earth) is a design feature of the Cosmos with a deliberate purpose – to act as a background reference frame to allow the motion of the planets to be observed from Earth! Seeing design and purpose in nature is called teleology.
Read about teleology in science
Read examples of teleological (pseudo)explanations for scientific phenomena
Read about types of pseudo-explanations
Examples of teleological statements are included in a document listing a wide range of examples of science analogies, similes, metaphors and the like, drawn from diverse sources, which can be downloaded using this link: 'Creative Comparisons: Making Science Familiar through Language. An illustrative catalogue of figurative comparisons and analogies for science concepts.'
The cosmos was understood as a set of nested spheres – each of the planets moved on its own sphere – today this would be considered an alternative conception. (The stars are not fixed, but moving through space – but this movement is not readily visible from the earth to an observer just using a telescope. And rather than being ion a single sphere, they are at greatly varying distances away.)
