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Published Date: 07 October 2008
Cosmology Daniel Winterstein (Science & Environment, 4 October) claimed Ptolemy's (geocentric) cosmology was eventually "blown away by Isaac Newton's insights". In fact, it was replaced by Copernicus's (heliocentric) cosmology, famously adopted by Galileo.
Steuart Campbell

Edinburgh

Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 06 October 2008 8:22 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
 
1

Daniel Winterstein,

Edinburgh 07/10/2008 10:23:37
Mr Campbell is quite right to say that there were more scientists involved in developing the Newtonian model than just Newton. It was indeed Copernicus who proposed the heliocentric solar system, though it was not adopted during his lifetime, and was a source of conflict during Galileo's. Moreover both of those scientists continued to work with Ptolemic epicycles! (just with a different centre-point)

It was Johannes Kepler who deduced the true orbits of the planets. Ironically using the observations of his boss Tycho Brahe, a confirmed believer in the Earth as the centre of the universe.

Then Newton discovered the reason behind Kepler's orbits. That Kepler's orbits are the result of just a few simple rules - and rules that apply across a wide range of phenomena, from planets to apples. It was a dazzling piece of insight which transformed science.

This story merits at least an article in itself! I hope Mr Campbell will understand why I skipped over the details (as did Michael Atiyah in his lecture).

Best regards,
Daniel Winterstein

 

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