An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
English-French-Persian

1) Physics: A basic statement that there should be no "special" observers to explain the phenomena. The principle is based on the discovery by Copernicus that the motion of the heavens can be explained without the Earth being in the geometric center of the system, so the Aristotelian/Ptolemaic assumption that we are observing from a special position can be given up.
2) Exobiology: By extension, human beings and the Earth are not at the centre of the → Universe and therefore are not "special". Life would therefore be commonplace. Compare → anthropic principle.

→ Copernican model; → principle.