Before Copernicus
The Cultures and Contexts of Scientific Learning in the Fifteenth Century
A multi-disciplinary approach to Copernicus’s momentous transformation from geocentric to heliocentric cosmology.
In 1984, Noel Swerdlow and Otto Neugebauer argued that Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) explained planetary motion by using mathematical devices and astronomical models originally developed by Islamic astronomers in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. Was this a parallel development, or did Copernicus somehow learn of the work of his predecessors, and if so, how? And if Copernicus did use material from the Islamic world, how then should we understand the European context of his innovative cosmology? Although Copernicus’s work has been subject to a number of excellent studies, there has been little attention paid to the sources and diverse cultures that might have inspired him.
Foregrounding the importance of interactions between Islamic and European astronomers and philosophers, Before Copernicus explores the multi-cultural, multi-religious, and multi-lingual context of learning on the eve of the Copernican revolution, determining the relationship between Copernicus and his predecessors. Essays by Christopher Celenza and Nancy Bisaha delve into the European cultural and intellectual contexts of the fifteenth century, revealing both the profound differences between “them” and “us,” and the nascent attitudes that would mark the turn to modernity. Michael Shank, F. Jamil Ragep, Sally Ragep, and Robert Morrison depict the vibrant and creative work of astronomers in the Christian, Islamic, and Jewish worlds. In other essays, Rivka Feldhay, Raz Chen-Morris, and Edith Sylla demonstrate the importance of shifting outlooks that were critical for the emergence of a new worldview.
Highlighting the often-neglected intercultural exchange between Islam and early modern Europe, Before Copernicus reimagines the scientific revolution in a global context.
"This stimulating collection of essays presents a rich picture of the intellectual milieu out of which Copernicus had developed his earliest version of the heliocentric system and should be of great interest to a wide range of historians beyond specialists in Renaissance astronomy. Taken together, the essays underline the continuing need for comparative studies of the intellectual and cultural contexts of science around the Mediterranean. They also suggest that future research, particularly that focuses on lesser-known individuals or unedited sources, has the potential to significantly revise existing narratives about the development of early modern science." Nazariyet
"In addition to its value for scholars interested in transmission, Before Copernicus is essential reading for historians of Renaissance science or the history of astronomy. It is also a fascinating example of how to combine technical and cultural history of science (what we used to call internalist and externalist approaches) in a single project. I expect this will be on methodology reading lists for years to come." Journal of World History
"The authors are all outstanding experts in their fields and have done an excellent job, even if their contributions to the overall result maybe unequal. The sheer number of facts offered here is astonishing. The extraordinary level of knowledge and the concise presentations are a pleasure, though simultaneously an intellectual challenge, and will enrich the reader's mind. For all those interested in high-level history of science I can strongly recommend this book." Isis Journal
“These scholars are the best in their fields. Their essays are well-researched, up-to-date historiographically, and interestingly written. This volume could prove controversial, but by exposing the contested issues more clearly, it will greatly enhance the scholarly conversation.” Richard Kremer, Dartmouth College
“Before Copernicus is of potentially great importance to the larger field of the history of fifteenth- and sixteenth-century science and the interaction between the Islamic and Western intellectual worlds. Although many books have been written about individual parts of this story no one has tried to put this all together before.” Lesley Cormack, University of Alberta