Why is Copernicus theory obvious to us?
So, we will consider a historical debate over the meaning of Copernicus’ theory, much of which can be found in the first pages of the astronomer Nicholas Copernicus’ great work, “Six Books On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres”. The book put forward the idea in 1543 that the earth revolves around the sun instead of the sun and all other planets similarly revolving around the earth. This was a change in astronomy from a ‘geocentric’ or earth-centered universe to a ‘heliocentric’ one in which the sun, rather than the earth, occupies the central area of the universe. To understand the problem of comprehending Copernicus’ theory during his time, we need to strip away many preconceptions about the certainty of and the justification for Copernicus’ system. All of us here think that Copernicus’ theory, in partial or general outline, is true; in fact, it is probably obvious to each of us beyond doubt. Nonetheless, it was by no means obvious to everyone educated in these matters in Coperni
