John, I have been pondering your question. I thought of many rhetorical questions to use as filler to give the illusion of intelligence. Instead, since you don't care how I answer, I will give it to you straight doc...mostly 'cause I'm sober.
Although not a student of astronomy, my astrology skills give me enough of a preface to answer this question in a coherent manner. :roll_eyes:
First things first. Was Einstein full of BS? BS meaning most of his published ideas were either false, flawed, or just made up gibberish. Yes, in my opinion Einstein was full of fecal matter. That said, his genius inspired a generation, and great things have been accomplished due to his studies, and rantings. Some of the most inspired art, music, and science have little basis in reality or the conventional arrangement that we associate with lucid perception. :confused2: Makes it no less significant. Possibly no more significant either....but certainly no less.
Nicolaus Copernicus. Although not a student of his, I agree with his theory that the Earth is not the center of the Universe. If I were to argue against that, I would make the case that the Universe has no boundary, therefore any particular point would be as much the center as any other point. It is equidistant from our equator to the end of the Universe as it is from the equator of Polaris to the end of the Universe. HOWEVER, I tend to think in the microcosm. If all things are units of something larger, then our Universe must also be a unit of something larger, therefore lending the notion that there must be an end to our Universe, and our planet is not the center of our Universe.
That is not to say that our parcel of our Universe is not "special". Certainly, according to the human psyche, the Earth is VERY special, and resides in a very special space within the Universe...center, or not.