Nicholas of Cusa 1401-1464 German Philosopher

Nicholas of Cusa is remarkable for his modern views about science. In the 15th century, astronomy was strongly influenced by the views Aristotle and Ptolemy. These highly respected authorities held that the universe rotated around the earth and that the orbits of the heavenly bodies circles or circles within circles. Long before Copernicus proposed that the earth rotated around the sun and Kepler proposed that planets had elliptical orbits, Nicholas suggested that the motion of the universe was not centered on the earth and that celestial bodies were not necessarily circular in form or motion.

Nicholas was one of the first advocates of experimental science. His careful study of plant growth, in which he showed that plants absorb nourishment from the air, is the first modern biological experiment. He wrote a book on the use of the balance and provided the first experimental evidence that air has weight. His scientific interests also included mathematics, diagnostic medicine, and applied science.

Nicholas' father was a boatman on the Moselle river. Despite his humble origins, he was able to study arts, philosophy, law, mathematics, the sciences, and theology. He studied at Heidelberg and Cologne in Germany, at Deventer, in the Netherlands, and in Padua and Rome in Italy. He was ordained a priest and rose to the rank of bishop and cardinal. He served on a commission to Constantinople seeking the reunion of the Eastern and Western Christian churches.