1977/04/01 by André Neher · 1 citation
Arts and Humanities · Physics and Astronomy · #Medieval and Classical Philosophy #Historical Astronomy and Related Studies #Historical, Religious, and Philosophical Studies #Copernicus #Philosophy #Classics #History #Ancient history #Literature #Art #Astrobiology
paper · doi:10.2307/2708908
openalex publication_date 1977/04/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2025/11/06
The study of the place occupied by Copernicus in the Hebraic literature of the sixteenth century to the end of the eighteenth century is interesting not only in itself but also through its repercussions for the problem of religious tolerance, one of the principal consequences of Copernicanism during this period. The data presented here will be useful towards yielding definitive conclusions obviously only if considered against the background of the evolution of Copernicanism in non-Jewish European thought. It would take us too far afield to trace all of this evolution. Let us limit ourselves to the data. In 1612, a book on astronomy appeared in Prague: Magen David (Shield of David). It is the first Hebrew book in which Nicholas Copernicus is mentioned.1 The author, David Gans, expresses himself in terms we cannot be content with describing as positive; they are in fact superlative and even dithyrambic.