Kepler's Geometrical Cosmology

The work of Johannes Kepler (1571-1630), regarded by many as the founder of modern astronomy, is also historically important to the philosophy and methodology of science as a whole. While most studies of Kepler have concentrated on his astronomical work, particularly his laws describing the revolutions of the planets, the. V. Field focuses on one of Kepler's major preoccupations, his search for the geometrical plan according to which God created teh universe. She demonstrates how Kepler's cosmological theories, which embrace music and astrology as well as astronomy, relate to his other work. Drawing on the whole body of Kepler's writings, Field traces the impact of Plato, Euclid, and Proclus on his thinking, as well as the influence of his contemporaries Galileo and Robert Fludd.

Kepler has suffered from a dual image as both hero of science and eccentric mystagogue. Field's sound scholarship provides a more complete picture of the man and his work that will be of value to historians of science, mathematics, philosophy, and the late Renaissance.