Philosophy of Science

The Concept of Whole and Part in the Thought of Nicholas of Cusa and Its Reflection in Modern Cosmology

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Zahra Abdolahi

M.A. in Philosophy of Science, Sharif University of Technology

10.30465/ps.2026.53959.1820
Abstract
This paper analyzes the pivotal role of Nicholas of Cusa in the intellectual transition from medieval cosmology to modern science. The main argument is that Cusanus’s philosophical and scientific concepts—while deeply rooted in theology—provided the metaphysical framework necessary for subsequent scientific revolutions. In cosmology in particular, building on his central idea of the whole and the part and through theories such as learned ignorance and the homogeneity of the universe, Cusanus undermined the absolute distinctions of the Aristotelian‑Ptolemaic worldview, including those between center/periphery and rest/motion. This conceptual and historical analysis demonstrates how his ideas prepared the ground for later cosmological models. Ultimately, the paper presents Cusanus not merely as a religious thinker faithful to tradition, nor simply as a speculative scientist with bold and modern ideas, but as a philosopher of transition—a threshold figure whose thought embodies the very passage that enabled participation in this cosmological transformation.

Keywords

Individual
Universals
Whole
Transition
Epoch
Cosmos
Subjects

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