Christian mystic E.Swedenborg is today considered as the originator of the nebular hypothesis. His position to Newtons theory of gravitation was in his own words: "an absurdity" and "a mere abstraction ".

Laplace(1749-1827) and Kant(1724-1804) developed independently their speculations on the origin of our solar system. According to this 'nebular hypothesis' our solar system evolved out of a gaseous nebula, which contracted under gravitational forces. It started thereby to rotate (?!) and became flat in this process. After the forming of a first nucleus of the sun gaseous rings should have remained which later formed out to the planets.

Basis for these speculations were the at this time detected nebula by comet-hunter Messier and the descriptions of galaxies and our Milkyway by Herschel. Herschel did describe our galaxy as formed as a millstone.

If you are further interested in this nebula here some links:

http://www.wbabin.net/physics/abruzzo7.pdf  very comprehensive, starts with the greeks

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nebular_hypothesis    todays view, no comment