The Congress, marking the 550th anniversary of Nicolaus Copernicus’ birthday, will provide an opportunity to discuss the life and work of the great astronomer as well as his impact on the development of science. The event is co-organised by the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Jagiellonian University in Kraków and Polish Academy of Science Institute of the History of Science.
The Congress will be attended by scholars from Polish and foreign higher education institutions. Debates will take place from February to September 2023 in Toruń, Kraków and Olsztyn. Each of the three cities will host its own thematic sessions: Kraków will organise meetings of economists, philosophers as well as historians specialising in these two disciplines; in Olsztyn, researchers will discuss Copernicus’ biography with a particular focus on education and the time in his life he spent in Warmia; and Toruń will bring together cultural and literary scholars as well as astronomy, art and medicine historians interested in his place in the culture of remembrance.
The Congress will be officially opened on 19 February – on the day Nicolaus Copernicus was born.
The World Copernican Congress events hosted in Kraków will be divided into two thematic parts: philosophy and economy.
The philosophical part of the Congress, entitled ‘The Copernican Heritage’, will be separated into three sections:
- Copernicus’ Influence: on the evolution of worldviews: a panel discussing Copernicus’ influence both on scientific and everyday perspectives on the world as well as the dynamics of changes in these perspectives. The panel will feature philosophers, historians, anthropologists, theologians and literary scholars.
- Revolutions in Science: a panel devoted to the nature of the Copernican Revolution in science and, more generally, all great scientific revolutions. The panel will be attended by philosophers, science scholars, science historians and psychologists.
- The Anthropic Principle: a panel on the anthropic principle, first formulated during the 1973 Copernican Congress. The panel is directed to philosophers, cosmologists and mathematicians.
The economical part of the Congress, ‘On Money’, will begin with a discussion on Copernicus’ treatise Monetae cudendae ratio, which is focused on the worth of money and monetary reform. This topic will serve as a segue to deliberations on current and future financial policies, featuring scientists, economists and representatives of the most important financial institutions.
The aim of the event is to reach the largest audience possible and promote the historical significance of Copernicus and his work as well as its impact on the future. Copernicus will also function as a symbol of a revolution in culture, and in this particular case, revolution in understanding financial policies.