Copernicanism

/koʊ.pərˈnɪ.kə.nɪ.zəm/ noun

Definition

The astronomical theory or belief system that places the sun at the center of the solar system rather than the Earth.

Etymology

From Copernican + the suffix '-ism' (a system or doctrine). Emerged as a formal term in the 16th-17th centuries as the theory gained acceptance in the scientific community.

Kelly Says

Copernicanism was so controversial that Galileo faced the Inquisition for supporting it, and the Catholic Church banned books teaching it—showing how science threatens worldviews and why people resist paradigm shifts even when evidence is clear.

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