Public Misconceptions about Astronomy

Abstract

The Chinese proverb quoted above means more or less the same thing that our Rabelais did in the middle of the Renaissance, when his famous Gargantua made the statement: “well built brains are to be preferred to overfed brains.”Indeed, when facing the fallacies that invade our modern life, and when facing the very quickly changing world in which we evolve, it seems that the only weapon we can give is a critical approach to science and life. We feel that anyone can assess at least the likelihood of any alleged fact, or, if he cannot, that he should be able to recognize openly his inability to do so.Now let us consider the common fallacies of modern times. And you will excuse me if I come back several times to the same motto, from my old Rabelaisian education....