The phenomenon of the disappearance of a ship, hull first, as it recedes from view, is caused by the same law of foreshortening as that which governs the disappearance of the rail, or causes the two rails to appear to approach each other. If we should make calculations on the basis of the appearance instead of on the basis of the fact that the rails do not approach, but only seem to, we necessarily draw false conclusions. This is precisely what the astronomers do. They conclude from appearances rather than from facts." -- The Cellular Cosmogony, Cyrus Teed
Except that's a load of shit and a quote over 100 years old. Foreshadowing (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perspective_%28graphical%29) is (1) not a "law" and (2) has nothing to do with the ship illustration. Also, as we now today, astronomers' conclusions are based upon the facts of physics.
Cyrus Reed Teed (18391908) was a U.S. eclectic physician and alchemist turned religious leader and messiah. In 1869, claiming divine inspiration, Dr. Teed took on the name Koresh and proposed a new set of scientific and religious ideas he called Koreshanity, including a unique Hollow Earth theory that posits the Earth and sky exist inside the inner surface of a sphere.
Not exactly a scientist, and doesn't base any of his beliefs on facts.