Nicolaus Copernicus and Steve Jobs: What Do They Have in Common?

By Don Smith, Ed. D.

They were both geniuses who lived nearly 500 years apart! Copernicus in Europe; Jobs in America. Both Copernicus and Jobs were “Men of the Renaissance”: the former of the Middle Ages; the later of the Modern Era. Copernicus challenged the deep assumptions upon which all astronomy was based – then overturned them. Copernicus’ 1543 book, On the Revolution of the Heavenly Spheres, was banned by the Roman Catholic Church for over 200 years. His intellectual heir, Galileo, was tried by the Inquisition for promoting Copernicus’ views, found vehemently suspect of heresy, and forced to recant, spending the rest of his life under house arrest. The impact of Copernicus’ work extended far beyond the time horizon of the Renaissance and far beyond astronomy. He laid a fresh foundation upon which all modern physics was built.

Smart, but directionless, Jobs experimented with different pursuits before starting Apple Computer with Steve Wozniak in 1976. Apple’s revolutionary products, which include the iPod, iPhone and iPad, are now seen as dictating the evolution of modern technology, with Jobs being fired from the company in 1985, then returning victoriously as CEO, more than a decade later.

Just as Steve Jobs instigated Apple’s success in the 1970s, he is credited with revitalizing the company in the 1990s. With a new management team, altered stock options, and a self-imposed annual salary of $1 a year, Jobs put Apple back on track. His ingenious products (like the iMac), effective branding, and stylish designs caught the attention of consumers once again.

Jobs, as the Modern Era “Renaissance Man”, has taught us four key lessons: CRAFT ABOVE ALL - under Jobs, Apple became famous for a level of craft; EMPATHY -an intimate connection with the feelings of the customer; FOCUS - in order to perform well those things that we decide to do, Jobs believed that we must eliminate all of the unimportant challenges; FRIENDLINESS - Apple has made cutting-edge devices user-friendly: a design strategy specifically intended to appeal to anyone overwhelmed by the complexities and capabilities of a computer.

So we could conclude that Galileo Galilei (Astronomer), William Shakespeare (Playwright), Isaac Newton (Physicist), Rene Descartes (Philosopher), Voltaire (Historian), Denis Diderot (Philosopher), Jean-Jacques Rousseau (Political Philosopher), Adam Smith (Political Economist), David Hume (Philosopher Historian), and even Peter Drucker (Management Consultant and Educator), all walked through the door that Copernicus had opened widely.

The same could be said for Jobs. He was a master of dreaming big, and he encouraged others to do the same. Sometimes the inspiration came in the form of a question that forced people to re-examine their lives and their businesses. He laid the groundwork for, and his visionary outlook influenced, Bill Gates (Microsoft), Jeff Bezos (Amazon), Oprah Winfrey (TV/media), Larry Page (Google), Andy Grove (Intel), Warren Buffet (Berkshire Hathaway), Jack Dorsey (Twitter), Reid Hoffman (LinkedIn), Chad Hurley (YouTube), and Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook). As Bill Gates shaped the experience of using the personal computer that sat on our desks, so Steve Jobs fashioned the experience of using the one we now carry around – everywhere!

In 1492, Columbus, setting sail from Portugal, sought Asia but found America; in 1519, Magellan began his circumnavigation of the earth from Spain, and proved that the “Third Rock from the Sun” of Copernicus was indeed round. In 1512, Copernicus formulated a model of the universe that placed the Sun, rather than the Earth, at the center of the universe; and, in 1976, Jobs invented the first personal and user-friendly computer. Copernicus discovered the role of “man” within the universe; Jobs discovered the role of “engagement” of people within the universe.

In 1964, legendary folk singer, Pete Seeger, wrote the song “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” and “when will they ever return?” This article, written in 2016, asks “Where have all the Renaissance geniuses gone – and “when will they ever return?

The answer to this last question is “SOON, we hope!”