La dinamica di diffusione del sapere astronomico e l’agenda di ricerca come contesto della pubblicazione del De revolutionibus di Copernico (1543)
The research project “The Sphere: Knowledge System Evolution and the Shared Scientific Identity of Europe” delves into the epistemological processes of homogenization of scientific knowledge across late medieval and 17th-century Europe. Focusing on widespread astronomical knowledge taught in universities, this study examines the dynamics surrounding Copernicus’ revolutionary ideas. It analyzes 359 textbooks printed from 1472 to 1650, revealing a significant shift after 1531 in the dissemination of scientific works beyond local markets. This change coincided with Wittenberg’s intellectual dominance, led by figures like Rheticus and influenced by Melanchthon’s agenda merging humanities and exact sciences. Despite Copernicus’ publication in 1543, his ideas faced neglect due to divergent intellectual priorities. The study elucidates that Copernicus’ work did not align with the prevalent academic emphasis at the time, leading to its prolonged disregard, highlighting the intertwined evolution of knowledge domains and their impact on scientific reception and dissemination.
