Paradigm shifts in the history of science --- Darwin's theory of evolution (mentioned in the module reading) is a good example of paradigm shift, but I think that the biggest (and probably the oldest) was the heliocentric system/model formulated and proposed by Nicolaus Copernicus in the 16th century A.D - which generated the "Copernican Revolution" across different domains of human knowledge. The Copernican theory placed the Sun at the centre of the universe, replacing Ptolemy’s geocentric system (formulated in the 2nd century A.D.), which dominated sciences for approximately 1,400 years. The geocentric system was in line with the literary interpretation of the Holy Scriptures, which posed Planet Earth at the centre of the universe. Therefore, Galileo Galilei’s support of the heliocentric model took him on a trial before the Roman Catholic Inquisition, which ended up with his condemnation in 1633 - he lived the rest of his life isolated in his home. At that time, Galileo could not count on the support, for example, of civil society. His condemnation was a demonstration of the power of the Church on the State at that time.

Source author: Massimiliano Lombardo m.lombardo@unesco.org