| Chapter 1: | The New Astronomy |
on stage, and in 1539 the Wittenberg theologian Martin Luther (1483–1546) called Copernicus a fool who “would overturn the whole science of astronomy,” and Luther's disciple Philipp Schwarzerd (known as Melanchthon) (1497–1560) hinted that a wise government should not tolerate such blasphemy (Berry 97; Crombie 2: 176).
Copernicus took care to credit prior geokineticists Heraclides Pontus, Ecphantus, and especially the Pythagorean Philolaus, who he says Plato had journeyed to Italy to interview (Copernicus 13). Only in the draft version of De Revolutionibus does Copernicus mention the “ancient Copernicus,” Aristarchus of Samos (c.310–250 BC), whose work had broader scope but was less accessible to him (Hall 74n; Koyré, Astronomical 100n21). Copernicus'magnum opus eventually appeared, thanks to the urging of the mathematician Georg Joachim (1514–1576), known as Rheticus. In the preface and dedication to De Revolutionibus, Copernicus explained that he had withheld publication for nearly 36 years “on account of the fear that I felt” (Copernicus 5). A well-meaning Lutheran minister named Andreas Osiander (1498–1552) took responsibility for printing the work and sought to protect Copernicus from charges of heresy by adding a preface explaining that the Copernican model—rather than representing reality—was useful for purposes of calculation only. This was yet another instance of proven advances catering to the sensibilities of the closed mind.
Copernicus foresaw the sort of objections that readers unfamiliar with mathematics would file.
“Mathematics,” Copernicus explained, “is written for mathematicians.” He scorns Lactantius (c.260–340) who, he says, “speaks in an utterly childish fashion concerning the shape of the Earth” and “laughs at those