Auf dem Weg zur Himmelsphysik: Naturphilosophische Leitmotive bei Copernicus
Abstract
Copernicus’ heliocentric approach was part of a widely pursued physicalization program of astronomy. This program was conceived in the Arabic science of the period and aimed at increasing the physical plausibility of the celestial motions as assumed in geocentric, Ptolemaic astronomy. Copernicus’ novel contribution to this broadly shared goal was to take recourse to the heliocentric conception as it was known from antiquity. In particular, the new structure of the planetary system should make it possible to reconstruct planetary motion unrestrictedly as circular and uniform. The commitment to the physicalization of astronomy is the chief feature of Copernicus’ philosophy of nature. This physicalization goes along with a realist interpretation of the mathematical constructions of astronomy. On the whole, Copernicus remains within the framework of the Aristotelian philosophy of nature