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> If you were an early astronomer and you constructed the notion of ‘epicycles’ to simplify your model of planetary motion. You may use these ‘epicycles’ to justify your prediction, however you may not use a successful prediction to justify the existence of epicycles. Your epicycles may be useful until someone comes along and deems them unnecessary since planetary motion is better described by using elliptical orbits.

I couldn't comprehend the discussion until I read this metaphor. Thanks for the detailed explanation.




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