Final answer:
The concept of the uniform speed of planets is often linked to Pythagoras, who saw the cosmos as following mathematical laws that created a harmony of the spheres.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question addresses the historical concept of the uniform speed of the planets, attributed to a particular thinker. Among the options given (Pythagoras, Eudoxus, Erastothenes, Copernicus), the correct answer is Pythagoras. This ancient Greek philosopher believed that the cosmos, including the movement of planets and stars, adhered to mathematical laws, reflecting a perfect harmony known as "the harmony of the spheres." Unlike the complex epicycles and deferents of Ptolemy's geocentric model, or the sun-centered model later validated by the mathematics of Johannes Kepler and the observations of other astronomers like Copernicus, Pythagorean thought symbolized early attempts to connect celestial order with geometry and music.