Monday, August 14, 2006

Decision Pending: Is Pluto Really a Planet?

Pluto's Reclassification could change number of Solar System's Planets

2 comments:

ScienceMom said...

Update on this story here.

Dr. Thursday said...

Has no one quoted GKC on this?

I do not believe in dwelling upon the distances that are supposed to dwarf the world; I think there is even something a trifle vulgar about this idea of trying to rebuke spirit by size. And as the first idea is not feasible, that of making the earth a strange planet so as to make it significant, I will not stoop to the other trick of making it a small planet in order to make it insignificant. I would rather insist that we do not even know that it is a planet at all, in the sense in which we know that it is a place; and a very extraordinary place too. That is the note which I wish to strike from the first, if not in the astronomical, then in some more familiar fashion.
[GKC, The Everlasting Man CW2:155]