Copernican principle

The Copernican principle states that man takes no excellent, special position, just a typical average position in the cosmos.

Designation according to Copernicus

The naming of this principle by Nicolaus Copernicus was first introduced in 1960 by the astronomer Hermann Bondi and 1973 by Stephen Hawking and GFR Ellis in her book "The Large Scale Structure of Space - Time" taken over. Nicolaus Copernicus had an important contribution to the departure of European astronomy from a geocentric universe and to turn to the heliocentric world view, in which a person does not hold a separate position more as an observer made ​​by his work. This historical process is called Copernican revolution and often cited as an example of a paradigm shift, ie the shift towards a completely new approach to a scientific field. The Copernican Revolution Kant is the turning of the gaze of the epistemologist from empirically given back to the subject.

Versions and interpretation of the Copernican principle

The Copernican principle is closely linked to the cosmological principle, which can be regarded as a special form of the Copernican principle concrete and states that the universe on large scales is essentially uniform ( homogeneous and isotropic ). These principles play a major role in modern cosmology, where they are supported particularly by observing the large-scale structure of the universe. In contrast, the Earth was considered the center of world standing in older ( pre-Copernican ) worldviews, making the person a special position has been assigned.

The Copernican principle, be interpreted in different ways. In its strict version, it is antiteleologisch, that is, the man takes neither an observer within the cosmos a special position, nor is the cosmos otherwise purposeful specifically to serve humanity. In its attenuated version it is limited to the position of man as an observer.

A special form of the Copernican principle is the " Mittelmäßigkeitsprinzip " (English: Mediocrity Principle ), which states that the environment of man (earth, sun) are not special, but typical of the universe.

Critical voices

Concerns about the loss of respect for science people have been charged since the dawn of philosophy (since Protagoras and the Stoics ) but regularly overruled by " Copernican ". In modern times, Husserl has particularly drawn attention to the " sense of crisis of modernity ", which consists in that science, by the elimination of the subject from the field of research, the approach to life ( the life significance ) lost and the philosophy beheaded so to speak, have. Referring specifically to the Copernican principle respect, Peter Sloterdijk has pointed out that " to this day the Copernican not shock subsided " is, its disavowal of the human senses have led to a " free fall of thought" in the " theoretical abyss ." Against this " Copernican mobilization" to " dizzying .... Truths ", he pleaded for a " Ptolemaic disarmament ", in which" the world against the world pictures come into its own again. " A further observation indicates that the relocation of the rest point from the center of the earth ( " geocentrism " ) in the solar center ( " heliocentrism " ) was indeed ergonomically advantageous, but only an approximation performing, because a rotation of the earth and the sun around the common center of gravity ( " Baryzentrismus " ) come closer to the physical conditions. Absolutism of approximations, without considering the effects on humans ( " Kopernikanismen " ) have led in the 20th century for human beings not consequences, and therefore must be the man to redeem his excellent special position.

Copernican Principle and Anthropic Principle

The Copernican principle is more or less in conflict to some interpretations of the anthropic principle.