Glenn Morton writes (correctly) that Copernicus is usually credited with
moving humans out of the center. However, as I have noted in other forums
several times, this very common notion is very wrong. In short, Copernicus
did not move humanity from the center--because we were never there! Ptolemy
and others since antiquity were well aware of the earth's approximate size
and shape, and medieval intellectuals were fully aware that we are a very
significant 4000 miles from the "center" of the universe. Furthermore, it
was not desireable to be in the center at all, for that's where hell was
thought to be. This feature of Copernicanism--moving humanity away from the
center--did not bother people at the time; what bothered them was the
ridiculous claim that the earth is moving.
The myth that Copernicus assaulted human dignity may have been invented by
Freud, as part of a selve-serving idea that Copernicus moved us out of the
center, Darwin reduced our uniqueness, and he (Freud) had assaulted our
rationality. I say "may have been," b/c I am not confident this part of
the story is right. But I'm confident the first paragraph is right.
Ted Davis
Edward B. Davis
Professor of the History of Science
Messiah College
Grantham, PA 17027
717-766-2511 (voice)
717-691-6002 (fax)
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