The Book Nobody Read (Magill’s Literary Annual 1991-2005)
At a glance:
- Author: Owen Gingerich
- First Published: 2004
- Type of Work: History of science, science, and memoir
- Time of Work: 1970-2000
- Setting: More than twenty-five countries around the world, especially Great Britain, Poland, Germany, France, and the United States
- Principal Characters: Nicolaus Copernicus, Georg Joachim Rheticus, Erasmus Reinhold, Johannes Kepler, Tycho Brahe
- Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, History, Science and technology
- Subjects: Twentieth century, Authors or writers, Europe or Europeans, Science or scientists, Reading, Fifteenth century, Planets, Earth, Poland or Polish people, Astronomy or astronomers, Sun
- Locales: France, United States, Germany, Great Britain, Poland
Traditional scholars often portrayed Copernicus as the first “scientific revolutionary,” whose heliocentric system not only transformed mathematical astronomy but also instigated the changes that led to the birth of modern science. On the other hand, many modern scholars see Copernicus as the culmination of classic astronomical traditions, as his system was firmly based on the ancient principle of uniform circular motion, and his arguments supporting heliocentrism were devised to minimize erosion of the medieval worldview. Whether they understand Copernicus as conservative or...
[The entire page is 1976 words long]
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