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The Astronomicum Caesareum (1540) by the German mathematician, astronomer and cartographer Petrus Apianus was used by the privileged – including the Holy Roman emperor Charles V, who commissioned it, and the Tudor king Henry VIII – to find guidance, knowledge and fate in the stars. Produced over eight years at Apianus’s printing press in Bavaria, it was also extraordinarily beautiful, with hand-coloured illustrations, rotating paper dials and silk threads helping to steer its owner’s astrological forecast. Taking viewers on a guided tour of one of the original copies of the Astronomicum Caesareum, this short from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City explores the book’s elegance, intricacy and function. Through this, the video conveys the prevalence of astrology in the 16th century, and how the book emerged in an uncertain world in which long-held beliefs – including geocentrism – were being upended.
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Philosophy of mind
Do we have good reasons to believe in beliefs? A radical philosophy of mind says no
5 minutes
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Space exploration
In the search for life, might alien ocean worlds be a better bet than Earth-like planets?
5 minutes
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Philosophy of religion
How a devout Catholic philosopher approaches the problem of evil
8 minutes
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Love and friendship
When drawing your muse hundreds of times becomes an exercise in love
7 minutes
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Thinkers and theories
Is simulation theory a way to shirk responsibility for the world we’ve created?
13 minutes
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Biology
A dazzling slice-by-slice exploration of wood exposes hidden patterns and hues
2 minutes
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Architecture
Modern architecture should embrace – not ignore or repel – the nonhuman world
8 minutes
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Philosophy of mind
We may never settle the ‘free will’ debate, but tapping into it is still worthwhile
32 minutes
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Ecology and environmental sciences
In an ancient English rainforest, John creates charcoal and cultivates growth
12 minutes