Abstract
Nicolaus Copernicus (1473–1543) – astronomer, mathematician, physician, and Catholic clergyman – was one of the most important contributors of the Scientific Revolution due to the formulation of the heliocentric model of the universe, according to which the earth revolved around the stationary mean sun. He managed to provide an astronomical system consistent with the apparent motions of the celestial bodies and also explain the exact necessary order and the inner coherence of the universe by following the Aristotelian distance–period relationship and the postulate for the uniform circular motion. Although the system presented in his book De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium (On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres) was as complex as that of Ptolemy, the harmonious order of his geokinetic model led to the foundation of modern [astro]physics. His scholarly interests included economics, politics, and translation of ancient Greek texts.
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Athanasakis, A. (2021). Copernicus, Nicolaus. In: Sgarbi, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Renaissance Philosophy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02848-4_56-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02848-4_56-2
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Copernicus, Nicolaus- Published:
- 05 August 2021
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02848-4_56-2
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- 09 March 2021
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02848-4_56-1