Horizon

Hamilton, New Zealand
May 2022

Recently, I went for a week-long ride around the north island of New Zealand. Falcon needed some time on the road.

Heading east, I saw past an endless horizon. During the straight stretches, my mind quietly ruminated on Nicolaus Copernicus, a Polish and German canon, physician, and astronomer during the Renaissance who grew up in the small city of Toruń, in present-day Poland (1). Copernicus is known for his heliocentric theory of the universe, in which he surmised Earth orbits the Sun rather than than the other way around, the latter being the prevailing notion since the Greco-Egyptian astronomer Ptolemy proposed it in ancient times. Copernicus was not the first to suggest a heliocentric alternative (that would be another ancient Greek astronomer, Aristarchus of Samois), but he was the first to flesh the theory out so it would stand the test of time, which it does.

I soared along open road, pushing Falcon further, higher. The cars whizzed past, in both directions. Whilst focusing on The Way, I mused on how the past sculpts the present, culminating in the moment. This moment. Nearly three decades ago, in 1992, I moved away from my hometown of Terrace, Canada to study at Queen's University, enrolling in a wide spectrum of science and humanity courses before arriving at evolutionary biology. Nothing to do with metabolic health, cancer, or the human brain, and certainly nothing to do with motorcycles. I was wary of motorcycles back then, just another cave one feared to enter, a treasure one prevented one's self from seeking. Back in the present, I arrived in Whakatane, and stayed the night.

Exactly 500 years earlier, in 1492, Copernicus moved away from his hometown to study at the University of Kraków, where he enrolled in a diversity of courses in natural science, the arts, and philosophy. While keeping to his formal coursework, Copernicus also independently read many books relating to mathematics and astronomy. During this time, he was probably already thinking beyond his teachings and readings, past the "official" dogma of astronomy at the time, as evidenced by his initial forays into scientific writing, although his heliocentric ideas had yet to arise. He was still setting the groundwork for them by expanding his knowledge, and more importantly, learning how to think.

​I took the inland route south from Whakatane. The initial idea had been to head along the coast, but since one of the bridges had been destroyed by flooding, I had to alter my plan. The detour reminded me of the year 1999 when, after completing my studies in evolutionary biology, I veered towards a variety of different vocational options, none of which had held true. At one point, it seemed as though I had come to a dead end, so in 2002 I departed to study medicine in Australia. One way had been blocked, another had opened - no matter, so long as the horizon remained. And it had. And though the 4-year medical course was good, there was something wrong with what I was taught - the knowledge was superficial, lacking in evolutionary framework, and a part of my brain rebelled against it. Returning to the moment, Falcon zigged and zagged along the twists and bends of the road until I arrived at Gisborne, where I spent two days.

After completing his studies in 1495, Copernicus left Kraków and moved to northern Poland to visit his uncle Watzenroede, the Prince-Bishop of Warmia. Watzenroede probably intended to install his nephew into the Warmia canonry, or clergy, but for various reasons Copernicus was not able to stay for very long, so in 1497 he departed to study canon law in Italy. And although he once again loyally adhered to his formal studies, Copernicus did not limit himself to what he was taught. Instead, his research interests continued to swerve towards the humanities, medicine, and astronomy. Copernicus developed into an ardent humanist, and his doubts regarding the astronomical dogma of the day grew ever stronger. 

Looking past Gisborne, I flew further south to a brilliant day of coastal riding, the Sun's solace serendipitously shining over the sparkling silhouette of the shimmering skyline, even as the Earth emitted an enduring envelope of exhilarating energy in its wake. The horizon between Sun and Earth appeared changeless, and though it could not alter, my perception of it did, just as when I completed medicine in 2006, when my perception of disease and health started to later during 7 years of training to become a physician and neurologist. I learned much, but an unquenchable instinct kept reminding me that what I learned could only take me so far. By 2013, I was accomplished in managing disease, but the entire model - the whole concept of disease and health - seemed wrong - something crucial was missing, but I did not know what it was. Coming back to the present, I arrived in Napier, where I spent a couple more days.

By 1503, Copernicus had finished his formal studies and achieved a degree in canon law, and so he moved to Italy to work as both a secretary and physician to his uncle. During this time, he also began to actualize his heliocentric theory in earnest. Thus, officially, Copernicus attended to his administrative, political, and economic duties, but unofficially, he devoted vast swathes of time to working on his theory. It was during these years that he wrote Commentarioulus ("Little Commentary"), a preliminary version of his heliocentric theory of the universe (2). Commentariolus was essentially organized into seven postulates that provided a scaffold for his theory in its eventual and final form.

As I rode further south, the weather soured, necessitating a cold, wet, and windy motorcycle crossing over Remutaka Hill. The slippery roads and numerous vehicles dotting the landscape forced me to pay attention, with slowed velocity. The mist and clouds prevented me from seeing the horizon, though I knew there was no need to see it, for it was still there. Just like 2013, when I had finished my neurology training and could not see the way forward for the next 3 years. And yet, it was during these years that I saw more than I ever had before, with my vision crystallizing over beautiful Myanmar sunset, when it suddenly became clear to me that managing disease could not actually restore health, and in many ways did exactly the opposite, and that maybe the entire concept of "disease" was, in most if not all respects, a precious illusion. Back in the moment, I soared into Wellington, where I stayed two more days.

In 1512, Copernicus moved to the town of Frombork, on the edge of the Baltic Sea, where he would spend most of the rest of his life. His administrative duties carried on, but he continued to devote much time to observing the heavens and working out his theory. It took him until 1532 to complete his magnum opus, Dē revolutionibus orbium coelestium ("On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres"), which offered a heliocentric model of the universe that challenged the dogma that had persisted for centuries (3). Yet Copernicus did not publish his book until 1543, for fear of risking the scorn "to which he would expose himself on account of the novelty and incomprehensibility of his theses" (1). Eventually he did, of course, and it changed everything.

A week of riding goes by fast, and after a nice time in Wellington I spurred Falcon north, back towards Hamilton. I was ill-prepared for the powerful, frigid gusts I encountered en route to Taupo, or the course of events that occurred afterwards. Just like I had been unprepared for the series of events that occurred from 2016 onwards, when I moved to New Zealand. But I no longer limit my thoughts to that which I was taught, or that which I read, or veen that which seems apparent. Whilst the dogmatic emphasis remains adherent to the mangement of disease, I now see the restoration of health as the more fundamental concept. What we call disease is mostly a response to poor health. The main focus today - managing disease - cannot succeed in the longer term.

Whilst everyone focused on the Earth's position in the universe, Copernicus adopted a perspective closer to the Sun. Yet I also like to think he did not focus on the Sun per se, but rather the horizon beyond that created by Earth and Sun, for as one theory succumbs to a better one, there may yet be a better theory still, beyond both.

​An endless horizon - one not to be looked at, but seen past.

​Solace.

The road of Falcon.

Copernicus - canon, physician, astronomer, and a few other things.

An endless horizon, beyond the clouds.

Ptolemy's Earth-centric model of the universe, with the Earth placed at its center.

An endless horizon, beyond the sea.

Closer to the Sun.

An endless horizon, beyond man-made constructs.

Page from Commentarioulus.

An endless horizon, beyond life.

Copernicus' heliocentric model of the universe, with the Sun placed at its center.

An endless horizon, beyond the heavens.

References
(1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolaus_Copernicus.
​(2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commentariolus
​(3) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_revolutionibus_orbium_coelestium.