--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For seventeenth-century astronomers, the…" description: "\"For seventeenth-century astronomers, the Epicurean doctrine of multiple worlds separated by void space was seen to fit with the new Copernican system i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba3/catherine-wilson-12038_astronomers_for-seventeenth-century-astronomers-the_270473.jpg" --- # For seventeenth-century astronomers, the Epicurean… ![“For seventeenth-century astronomers, the Epicurean doctrine of multiple worlds separated by void space was seen to fit with the new Copernican system in which every star was a sun, and the universe was a vast place with no centre.” quote by Catherine Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba3/catherine-wilson-12038_astronomers_for-seventeenth-century-astronomers-the_270473.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba3/catherine-wilson-12038_astronomers_for-seventeenth-century-astronomers-the_270473.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba3/catherine-wilson-12038_astronomers_for-seventeenth-century-astronomers-the_270473.jpg) > “For seventeenth-century astronomers, the Epicurean doctrine of multiple worlds separated by void space was seen to fit with the new Copernican system in which every star was a sun, and the universe was a vast place with no centre.” [Catherine Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-wilson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early modern astronomers linked Epicurean ideas of infinite worlds with Copernican heliocentrism, seeing the cosmos as boundless and non‑central. **In simple terms:** Ancient philosophy helped shape early ideas of a vast, centerless universe. Key Takeaway Recognize how interdisciplinary thinking expands scientific horizons. Themes science philosophy history cosmology epistemology Mood reflective inquisitive Type historical analytical When to use this quote - academic research - educational curricula - public science communication Key Concepts pluralism infinite universe heliocentrism void space Questions to Reflect On - What role does philosophy play in scientific breakthroughs? - How does a non‑central universe affect human perspective? A Different Perspective Modern cosmology offers competing models that challenge this view. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Astronomers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomers/) [Astronomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomy/) [Doctrine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctrine/) [Epicurean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/epicurean/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) [Sun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sun/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) [Void](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/void/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Leibniz accepted the argument that there must be indestructible simple entities if there is to be a complex world, but Epicurean morals and politics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-wilson/leibniz-accepted-the-argument-that-there-must-be-indestructible/) [Catherine Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-wilson/) > [The Epicureans denied that the gods had created the world and also denied that they played any role in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-wilson/the-epicureans-denied-that-the-gods-had-created-the-world-and-also/) [Catherine Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-wilson/) > [Some critics thought the ontology and theory of qualities absurd. No one had ever seen these little atoms, and furthermore, how could their mere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-wilson/some-critics-thought-the-ontology-and-theory-of-qualities-absurd-no/) [Catherine Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-wilson/) > [Aristotle saw nature as intelligent and purposive, whereas for the Epicureans, and the 17th century 'mechanical' philosophers, there is no intentionality in nature except…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-wilson/aristotle-saw-nature-as-intelligent-and-purposive-whereas-for-the/) [Catherine Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-wilson/) > [Order can arise from chaos without anyone or anything directing the process when unstable combinations of atoms perish and others persist. In the 17th…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-wilson/order-can-arise-from-chaos-without-anyone-or-anything-directing-the/) [Catherine Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-wilson/) > [Even if the gods did exist, the Epicureans argued, they didn't care about us. Rather, everything comes from nature, and all that really exists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-wilson/even-if-the-gods-did-exist-the-epicureans-argued-they-didn-t-care/) [Catherine Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-wilson/) > [There are lots of ideas which extend the Copernican principle one step further. We went from the solar system to the galaxy to zillions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/there-are-lots-of-ideas-which-extend-the-copernican-principle-one/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [ “\[Patty's\] Copernican wish to the be sun around which all things revolved” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-franzen/patty-s-copernican-wish-to-the-be-sun-around-which-all-things-revolved/) [Jonathan Franzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-franzen/) > [The Copernican revolution was actually a contribution to the life of the church, the development of our view of ourselves in terms of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-coyne/the-copernican-revolution-was-actually-a-contribution-to-the-life-of/) [George Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-coyne/) > [She has to lose her pre-Copernican view of a universe revolving around herself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/she-has-to-lose-her-pre-copernican-view-of-a-universe-revolving/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [The Relativity theory, the copernican upheaval, or any great scientific convulsion, leaves a new landscape. 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I will read your work ... all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galileo-galilei/i-esteem-myself-happy-to-have-as-great-an-ally-as-you-in-my-search/) [Galileo Galilei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galileo-galilei/) > [“Copernicus theorized that the Earth revolved around the sun, but it was not until he lay on his deathbed that he published anything regarding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-dunn/copernicus-theorized-that-the-earth-revolved-around-the-sun-but-it/) [Rob Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-dunn/) > [In the time of Galileo it was argued that the texts, 'And the sun stood still ... and hasted not to go down about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-turing/in-the-time-of-galileo-it-was-argued-that-the-texts-and-the-sun-stood/) [Alan Turing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-turing/) > [“Long ago it took a Copernicus to tell a provincial world that this planet was not the center of the universe. Some selfish moderns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/long-ago-it-took-a-copernicus-to-tell-a-provincial-world-that-this/) [Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/) ## More by Catherine Wilson > [A moral rule is essentially 'advantage-reducing.' It prohibits you doing something you could do that would serve your interests at someone else's expense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-wilson/a-moral-rule-is-essentially-advantage-reducing-it-prohibits-you-doing/) [Catherine Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-wilson/) > [Atomism had no absolute 'above' and 'below' and no such rulers, so favoured the undersranding of justice as an agreement amongst equals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-wilson/atomism-had-no-absolute-above-and-below-and-no-such-rulers-so/) [Catherine Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-wilson/) > [We have to gamble, and sometimes lose as George Ainslie argues; this keeps the appetite for life sharp.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-wilson/we-have-to-gamble-and-sometimes-lose-as-george-ainslie-argues-this/) [Catherine Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-wilson/) > [There is no single test or formula for producing moral progress anymore than there is for generating scientific truths. 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