On the problem of astronomy and popular prejudices: the case of ancient astronomers and NASA funding

Abstract The aim of this paper is to explore the popular prejudices faced by ancient and modern astronomers. In the case of the ancients, this entails examining the astronomer Thales of Miletus (ca. 620 BC–ca. 546 BC) via the analysis of various ancient texts, such as Aristotle’sPolitics, Plato’sTheaetetusand Aristophanes’Clouds. In the case of the moderns, this entails examining the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) agency via its funding history, public opinion polls, and spinoff reports. The findings suggest that NASA’s constant efforts to justify their existence in terms of practical outcomes, mirrors the experience of ancient natural philosophers who were depicted with their “heads in the clouds” and in possession of an epistemology devoid of any practical significance.