The perfect quotes from 57 years ago.

I was reading Bertrand Russell's History of Western Philosophy when I came upon the perfect quote, something I've been wondering how to say for a few days.  It's almost word for word what I wish I had on tap when I was having a discussion on Facebook with someone who believes in Astrology.  He was trying to say that knowledge and belief were the same thing.  As the discussion went on, this person stated that Science is a belief system that required faith, and that Astronomy was science.  I wish I had these quotes a few days ago.

Apart from the revolutionary effect on cosmic imagination, the great merits of the new [Copernican] astronomy were two: first, the recognition that what had been believed since ancient times might be false; second, that the test of scientific truth is patient collection of facts, combined with bold guessing as to laws binding the facts together.

A few pages before that, Russell brings up a book that tried to discredit science by saying that the founders of modern science held crazy, Middle Aged beliefs that modern empiricist wouldn't stand for.  This is what he said to that:

I think this shows a misconception of the scientific attitude: it is not what the man of science believes that distinguishes him, but how and why he believes it.  His beliefs are tentative, not dogmatic; they are based on evidence, not on authority or intuition.  Copernicus was right to call his theory a hypothesis; his opponents were wrong in thinking new hypothesis undesirable.

I can't say it any better.  Even knowing that this was published 57 years ago reminds me that this conversation has been going on for quite a long time, and how we truly stand on the shoulders of giants.