Title

An Interdisciplinary Research About Nicolaus Copernicus: Unexpected Consequences

Abstract Course

My lecture aims to show and discuss a beauty of an interdisciplinary research on the subject and its original approach. For example: (a) the author’s works about the interpretations of the achievements of Nicolaus Copernicus, (b) the unexpected consequences of these works. This story concerns exact sciences (physics, astronomy and cosmology), science studies (history of science, philosophy of science, sociology of scientific knowledge and organization of science), humanities (history, philosophy, theology and literary cosmology) and natural sciences (genealogical genetics). A synopsis of the issues as in the following:

• Fundamental Problems of Technology and Computer Simulations;
• Solid State Physics;
• Philosophy of Science (Karl R. Popper, Imre Lakatos, Paul K. Feyerabend and Thomas S. Kuhn);
• Hypothetico-Deductive Method of Korespondenzdenken (Correspondence-oriented Thinking), and Scientific (R)evolution;
• History of Research on Nicolaus Copernicus (the longest tradition – Poland);
• Thomas S. Kuhn’s interpretations of Copernican Revolution;
• George Sarton and New Humanism;
• Charles P. Snow’s “Two Cultures” Problem and “Third Culture” Problem;
• Sarton – Snow Problems of the “Two Cultures” and the “Third Culture”;
• James B. Conant and Harvard Program for General Education;
• Copernican Studies in the Light of Hypothetico-Deductive Method of Korespondenzdenken;
• Copernican Historiography;
• Critique of Searches for Copernicus’s Grave and Remains, and Copernicus’s Handwriting,  History of Copernicus’s Portraits; Archaeology, and Genetic Genealogy (with Mathematical Issues);
• A Reform of the Organization of Science and Higher Education in Poland, Models of University, and University of New Humanism.

References

• 1996: Copernicus and the Hypothetico-Deductive Method of Correspondence Thinking. An Introduction, “Theoria et Historia Scientiarum” 5 (1996), pp. 7–101.
• 2001: Thomas S. Kuhn 1922–1996) and the Issue of the Copernican Revolution (in Polish, with an English summary), „Studia Copernicana”, t. XXXIX. Warszawa 2001, pp. XV+397 (extended and actualized version of Doctor’s Degree Thesis); http://www.cyfronet.pl/~n1kokows/kuhn_en.html;
• (full text) http://kpbc.umk.pl/dlibra/docmetadata?id=41760.
• 2004: Copernicus’s Originality: Towards Integration of Contemporary Copernican Studies. Warsaw – Cracow: Wydawnictwa IHN PAN, 2004), pp. XVI + 340; http://www.cyfronet.pl/~n1kokows/originality_en.html.
• 2006: Nicholas Copernicus in focus of interdisciplinary research:  An outline of main results. In: The Global and the Local: The History of Science and the Cultural Integration of Europe.  Proceedings of the 2^nd ICESHS (Cracow, Poland, September 6–9, 2006) / Ed. by M. Kokowski, pp. 333–341; http://www.2iceshs.cyfronet.pl/2ICESHS_Proceedings/Chapter_12/R-4_Kokowski.pdf
• 2007: The Quests for Copernicus’ Grave. Reflections of Advocatus Diaboli (in Polish), “Kwartalnik Historii Nauki i Techniki” 1/2007, pp. 121–131 (Part I: ), pp. 131–151 (Part II); WWW versions;
• http://www.cyfronet.pl/~n1kokows/poszukiwania_1.pdf; http://www.cyfronet.pl/~n1kokows/poszukiwania_2.pdf.  
• 2009: Different Faces of Nicolaus Copernicus. Meetings with the History of Interpretations (in Polish) (Warszawa: Instytut Historii Nauki PAN, Kraków: Polska Akademia Umiejętności, 2009; ISBN: 978-83-86062-86-7; pp. 675); http://www.cyfronet.pl/~n1kokows/oblicza_en.html.
• 2012: Copernicus, Arabic Science, and the Scientific (R)evolution, in: Arun Bala (ed.) 2012: Asia, Europe, and the Emergence of Modern Science: Knowledge Crossing Boundaries. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2012, p. 55–72. DOI: 10.1057/9781137031730.0008 (Print Pub Date: July 2012; Online Date: August 2012). Available from: http://www.palgraveconnect.com/pc/doifinder/10.1057/9781137031730.0008.
• 2015a (ed.): The Nicolaus Copernicus grave mystery. A dialogue of experts, Krakow, 22–23 February 2010. Edited by Michał Kokowski. Kraków: Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences. ISBN 978-83-7676-196-1; pp. 314; http://www.cyfronet.krakow.pl/~n1kokows/tajemnica_en.html.
• 2015b: Adam Walanus, Michał Kokowski: A potential usefulness of radiocarbon dating for the authentication of Nicolaus Copernicus’s grave, [in:] M. Kokowski (ed.) 2015, pp. 159–168.
• 2015c: On the defectiveness of the argument for the finality of the discovery of the remains of Nicolaus Copernicus. Part 1: Results and interpretation of historical, archaeological, anthropological and anthroposcopic research, [in:] M. Kokowski (ed.) 2015, pp. 169–207.
• 2015d: On the defectiveness of the argument for the finality of the discovery of the remains of Nicolaus Copernicus. Part 2. Results and interpretation of genealogical, historical and genetic research, [in:] M. Kokowski (ed.) 2015, pp. 209–304.
• 2015e: University of New Humanism (in Polish; in progress).

Contact

michal.kokowski@gmail.com