The Copernican Revolution: Planetary Astronomy in the Development of Western Thought
Cover of the first edition
AuthorThomas S. Kuhn
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
SubjectHistory of astronomy
PublisherHarvard University Press
Publication date
1957
Media typePrint (Hardcover and Paperback)
Pages297
ISBN0-674-17103-9

The Copernican Revolution is a 1957 book by the philosopher Thomas Kuhn, in which the author provides an analysis of the Copernican Revolution, documenting the pre-Ptolemaic understanding through the Ptolemaic system and its variants until the eventual acceptance of the Keplerian system.[1]

Kuhn argues that the Ptolemaic system provided broader appeal than a simple astronomical system but also became intertwined in broader philosophical and theological beliefs. Kuhn argues that this broader appeal made it more difficult for other systems to be proposed.[2][3][4][5]

Summary

At the end of the book, Kuhn summarizes the achievements of Copernicus and Newton, while comparing the incompatibility of Newtonian physics with Aristotelian concepts that preceded the then new physics. Kuhn also noted that discoveries, such as that produced by Newton, were not in agreement with the prevailing worldview during his lifetime.[5]

References

  1. ↑ Kuhn, Thomas (1957). The Copernican Revolution (Copyright renewed 1985). Harvard University Press. ISBN 0-674-17103-9.
  2. ↑ Butterfield, Herbert (April 1958). "The Copernican Revolution: Planetary Astronomy in the Development of Western Thought by Thomas S. Kuhn". The American Historical Review. UK: Oxford University Press. 63 (3): 656–657. doi:10.1086/ahr/63.3.656. JSTOR 1848896. Text available on JSTOR
  3. ↑ Hall, Richard J. (May 1970). "Kuhn and the Copernican Revolution" (article available on web page). The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science. Oxford University Press. 21 (2): 196–197. doi:10.1093/bjps/21.2.196. JSTOR 686700.
  4. ↑ Swerdlow, N. M. (March 2004). "An Essay on Thomas Kuhn's First Scientific Revolution, The Copernican Revolution" (PDF). Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society. Philadelphia, PA: American Philosophical Society. 148 (1): 64–120. JSTOR 1558245. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-06-12. Retrieved 2014-02-20.
  5. 1 2 Westman, Robert S. "Two Cultures or One?: A Second Look at Kuhn's The Copernican Revolution." Isis (1994): 79-115.

Further reading

  • Armitage (1959). "The Copernican Revolution Planetary Astronomy in the Development of Western Thought by Thomas S. Kuhn". The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science. UK: Oxford University Press. 10 (39): 254–255. doi:10.1093/bjps/X.39.254. JSTOR 686067.


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