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Principle of the Relativity of Motion in Pre - Copernican Science

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Pabjan T.

Kwartalnik Historii Nauki i Techniki

2008

vol. 53

issue 1

The relativity of motion is a physical phenomenon, which consists in the fact that the movement of a body that can be seen by an observer depends on the state of motion of the observer himself. According to the principle of relativity of motion, which is discussed in this paper, there are no absolute motions. The only motions that have physical meaning are the relative motions - that are motions observed or described in a given system of reference. It is often said that Copernicus was the first relativist in the history of mankind, because as first used the principle of relativity of motion as the main argument against the movement of the Sun and the whole sky. This paper is willing to show that this thesis is not true. Relativity of motion was commonly known before Copernicus. This article presents a number of ancient as well as medieval authors, who knew the principle of relativity of motion. In their writings one can see how the process of relativization of the notion of motion proceeded within the philosophical and scientific outlook.

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1 Kwartalnik Historii Nauki i Techniki

1 Pabjan T.

1 2008

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Principle of the Relativity of Motion in Pre - Copernican Science