comprehension

[jiang]

Dear teachers,
Could you please paraphrase the following sentence?

Nothing could have seemd more beyond possibility or doubt.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance.

Jiang

[queenbu]

Nothing could have seemd more beyond possibility or doubt.

Nothing could have seemed more impossible or dubious.In other words,it seemed to be extremely impossible and dubious.

[jiang]

&

Hi queenbu,
I should have cited all the sentences to you yesterday. The sentences are:

It was for two thousand years ' taken for granted" as "obvious" that a heavy weight must fall faster than a light one. An assumed or dogmatic proposition which had benn universally accepted as " obvious"; and which, when challenged, was supported by reference to a dogma of Aristotle. Unitl Galileo actually demanstrated the contrary, nothing could have seemed more beyond possibility or doubt.

What I don't understand is what seems "extremely impossible and dubious'. Could you explain (paraphrase ) it to me?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance.

Jiang

Nothing could have seemed more impossible or dubious.In other words,it seemed to be extremely impossible and dubious.

[queenbu]

[QUOTE=jiangIt was for two thousand years ' taken for granted" as "obvious" that a heavy weight must fall faster than a light one. An assumed or dogmatic proposition which had benn universally accepted as " obvious"; and which, when challenged, was supported by reference to a dogma of Aristotle. Unitl Galileo actually demanstrated the contrary, nothing could have seemed more beyond possibility or doubt.
Hello jiang
A 'dogma' is a belief that people are expected to accept as the truth,without ever doubting it.
Here he's saying that people had always believed that a weight falls faster than a lighter one and until Galileo actually demonstrated that it was not true(Law of Falling Bodies-In the absence of air resistance,any two bodies that are dropped from rest at the same moment will reach the ground at the same time regardless of their mass) it was impossible to doubt the "truth".
Is it more clear now?

[jiang]

&
Hi queenbu,
My English is really poor. So I am sorry to bother you again. Does this 'truth' mean Galileo's or does it mean Aristotle's? Or does it mean before Galileo demanstrated the contrary nobody should doubt Aristotle? Or if they did they could not prove Aristole was wrong?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance.

Jiang



[quote=queenbu][quote=jiangIt was for two thousand years ' taken for granted" as "obvious" that a heavy weight must fall faster than a light one. An assumed or dogmatic proposition which had benn universally accepted as " obvious"; and which, when challenged, was supported by reference to a dogma of Aristotle. Unitl Galileo actually demanstrated the contrary, nothing could have seemed more beyond possibility or doubt.
Hello jiang
A 'dogma' is a belief that people are expected to accept as the truth,without ever doubting it.
Here he's saying that people had always believed that a weight falls faster than a lighter one and until Galileo actually demonstrated that it was not true(Law of Falling Bodies-In the absence of air resistance,any two bodies that are dropped from rest at the same moment will reach the ground at the same time regardless of their mass) it was impossible to doubt the "truth".
Is it more clear now?[/QUOTE]

[queenbu]

[QUOTE=jiang] &
. Does this 'truth' mean Galileo's or does it mean Aristotle's? Or does it mean before Galileo demanstrated the contrary nobody should doubt Aristotle? Or if they did they could not prove Aristole was wrong?
Dear Jiang,when I wrote "truth" in inverted commas I did it on purpose to show that it was not really the truth.I was referring to Aristotle's dogma which had been accepted by all without any question.It was taken for granted.It was obvious to all that a heavier weight falls more quickly than a lighter one.And to all intents and purposes,I guess many people who haven't studied Physics still believe that!It is just that one doesn't take into consideration other factors such as air resistance.
As you rightly said,before Galileo demonstrated the contrary nobody doubted it.When somebody did question it(challenged) he had nothing to show for it (he had no proof,he did not demonstrate it) and Aristotle's dogma was quoted as an infallible truth.
If it isn't clear yet,do ask.

[jiang]

&
Hi queenbu,
It seems I come to understand it. To make sure I really understand it I hope you can further comfirm my comprehension.
Nothing could have seemed more impossible or dubious.In other words,it seemed to be extremely impossible and dubious.
This was the sentence you wrote. I can say 'improve Aristole's theory' is impossible and to challenge his theory was considered dubious, i.e. would be condemned by others.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance.

Jiang
[quote=queenbu]

&
. Does this 'truth' mean Galileo's or does it mean Aristotle's? Or does it mean before Galileo demanstrated the contrary nobody should doubt Aristotle? Or if they did they could not prove Aristole was wrong?
Dear Jiang,when I wrote "truth" in inverted commas I did it on purpose to show that it was not really the truth.I was referring to Aristotle's dogma which had been accepted by all without any question.It was taken for granted.It was obvious to all that a heavier weight falls more quickly than a lighter one.And to all intents and purposes,I guess many people who haven't studied Physics still believe that!It is just that one doesn't take into consideration other factors such as air resistance.
As you rightly said,before Galileo demonstrated the contrary nobody doubted it.When somebody did question it(challenged) he had nothing to show for it (he had no proof,he did not demonstrate it) and Aristotle's dogma was quoted as an infallible truth.
If it isn't clear yet,do ask.

[jiang]

Nothing could have seemd more beyond possibility or doubt.
I guess I have difficulty understanding the word 'beyond'.
If 'beyond possibility' means 'extremely impossible' then 'beyond doubt' should mean ' the opposite of doubt'. That means it should mean 'no doubt'. I think if I understand this I will be able to understand the sentence. So could you please explain this to me?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance.

Jiang

[quote=queenbu]

&
. Does this 'truth' mean Galileo's or does it mean Aristotle's? Or does it mean before Galileo demanstrated the contrary nobody should doubt Aristotle? Or if they did they could not prove Aristole was wrong?
Dear Jiang,when I wrote "truth" in inverted commas I did it on purpose to show that it was not really the truth.I was referring to Aristotle's dogma which had been accepted by all without any question.It was taken for granted.It was obvious to all that a heavier weight falls more quickly than a lighter one.And to all intents and purposes,I guess many people who haven't studied Physics still believe that!It is just that one doesn't take into consideration other factors such as air resistance.
As you rightly said,before Galileo demonstrated the contrary nobody doubted it.When somebody did question it(challenged) he had nothing to show for it (he had no proof,he did not demonstrate it) and Aristotle's dogma was quoted as an infallible truth.
If it isn't clear yet,do ask.

[queenbu]

beyond control=without control=uncontrollable
beyond doubt=without a doubt
beyond possibility=without possibility=impossible
As you see a word which can substitute 'beyond' is 'without'
Before I write anything else, I want to ask you something,Jiang.Are you sure it's 'beyond possibility or doubt' and NOT 'beyond possibility of doubt'???
tdol,casiopea,rewboss,..where are you all when I need you?

[jiang]

It is 'beyond possibility or doubt' that is printed in my textbook.
You are right. Where are the teachers?
Jiang

beyond control=without control=uncontrollable
beyond doubt=without a doubt
beyond possibility=without possibility=impossible
As you see a word which can substitute 'beyond' is 'without'
Before I write anything else, I want to ask you something,Jiang.Are you sure it's 'beyond possibility or doubt' and NOT 'beyond possibility of doubt'???
tdol,casiopea,rewboss,..where are you all when I need you?