The Copernican Revolution: A Reading of Thomas Kuhn's Book

Abstract

Reading Thomas Kuhn’s book The Copernican Revolution, translated by Mohamed Ben Sassi and Youssef Ben Othman, aims to examine a significant historical event that profoundly impacted the development of scientific thought. It focuses on its conceptual structure and ontological framework, including theological, metaphysical, and ethical ideas. The book also explores the logical, psychological, and religious reasons that led astronomers to adopt Copernicus's ideas as solutions to difficult astronomical problems. Thomas Kuhn did not only analyze the conceptual structure of the Copernican Revolution — that is, the framework of scientific thought and its theological, metaphysical, and scientific ideas — but also emphasized the psychological, social, and religious factors that influenced the intellectual shifts behind the scientific revolution. Copernicus was neither a true Copernican nor a modern thinker; he was closer to the medieval era because his astronomical system resembled Ptolemy's ancient system in structure and methods. As a result, it was a failed system that offered no solutions to major problems. Nevertheless, his heliocentric theory ultimately led to the unexpected downfall of an entire ancient astronomical system.