克普勒之前的天文思想演變：哥白尼與第谷

The Evolution of Astronomical Thought before Kepler: Copernicus and Tycho Brahe

十七世紀前後的天文學革命是科學史和科學哲學研究的重要案例。本文目的是以理論版本論，追蹤並分析克普勒以前西方天文思想的演變，尤其是哥白尼、第谷和克普勒的思想。「理論版本」與「典範」、「研究綱領」同樣是一種說明科學發展的哲學觀念，最大不同在於，理論版本的說明能更深入分析科學家個人的見解，凸顯科學家與科學家之間學說上傳承與修改的關係，呈現科學發展上的細微變化。本文先交代為何能以科學哲學觀點說明科學史及選用理論版本論的理由，再勾勒克普勒之前天文學問題的歷史背景，然後利用理論版本論分析哥白尼、第谷和克普勒的思想，描繪其演變路徑，展示他們的觀點之間的繼承和對立關係。

This paper traces the evolutionary path of western astronomical thoughts from Copernicus to Kepler by utilizing the notion of theory version. Like the paradigm theory and research programme methodology, the theory of theory version is also a philosophical one, but it has a view of its own. Unlike other philosophical theories emphasizing why and how a grand scientific theory (a paradigm or a research programme) was accepted or rejected, theory version focuses on each individual scientist’s own knowledge-claims and shows how these claims come to be accepted or rejected by successors. A genealogical path thus can be reconstructed by showing the acceptances and rejections of knowledge-claims. I first account for the relation between history and the philosophy of science in this paper. Next, I outline the historical background of astronomical problems before Kepler. Then I use the philosophical theory of theory version to analyze Copernicus’, Tycho Brahe’s, and Kepler’s astronomical thoughts and reveal the complex relationships among them, addressing themes of both inheritance and conflict.