Javascript must be enabled to continue!
Kepler in the Early Historiography of Astronomy (1615–1800)
View through CrossRef
This article discusses the reception of Kepler’s work in the earliest interpretations of the history of astronomy, which appeared in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The focus is not on the reception of Kepler’s work among astronomers themselves but instead on its significance for the history of science as seen by early historians of mathematics and astronomy. The first section discusses the evaluation of Kepler in the so-called “Prefatory Histories” of astronomy that appeared in various astronomical works during the seventeenth century. In these, Kepler was considered mainly to be the person who brought the work of Tycho Brahe to completion, rather than an original astronomer. The second section is devoted to the evaluation of Kepler in interpretations of the history of astronomy that appeared in the eighteenth century (often as part of the history of mathematics). In these works, Kepler is regarded as a genius who deserves tremendous credit for the advancement of the human spirit. Both sections also devote attention to Copernicus and Tycho Brahe because this facilitates the explanation of how Kepler’s contribution was judged. By studying the reception of Johannes Kepler’s work, we may gain greater insight into the transition from a cyclical perception of the history of science to the progressive model.
Title: Kepler in the Early Historiography of Astronomy (1615–1800)
Description:
This article discusses the reception of Kepler’s work in the earliest interpretations of the history of astronomy, which appeared in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
The focus is not on the reception of Kepler’s work among astronomers themselves but instead on its significance for the history of science as seen by early historians of mathematics and astronomy.
The first section discusses the evaluation of Kepler in the so-called “Prefatory Histories” of astronomy that appeared in various astronomical works during the seventeenth century.
In these, Kepler was considered mainly to be the person who brought the work of Tycho Brahe to completion, rather than an original astronomer.
The second section is devoted to the evaluation of Kepler in interpretations of the history of astronomy that appeared in the eighteenth century (often as part of the history of mathematics).
In these works, Kepler is regarded as a genius who deserves tremendous credit for the advancement of the human spirit.
Both sections also devote attention to Copernicus and Tycho Brahe because this facilitates the explanation of how Kepler’s contribution was judged.
By studying the reception of Johannes Kepler’s work, we may gain greater insight into the transition from a cyclical perception of the history of science to the progressive model.
Related Results
Kepler's Attitude Toward Pico and the Anti-astrology Polemic*
Kepler's Attitude Toward Pico and the Anti-astrology Polemic*
In two of his major works,On the New Star(1606) andHarmonics of the Universe(1619), Johannes Kepler engaged in an extensive debate against Giovanni Pico della Mirandola'sDisputatio...
The Starry Universe of Johannes Kepler
The Starry Universe of Johannes Kepler
Johannes Kepler described the Copernican universe as consisting of a central, small, brilliant sun with its planetary system, all surrounded by giant stars. These stars were far la...
The Starry Universe of Jacques Cassini: Century-old Echoes of Kepler
The Starry Universe of Jacques Cassini: Century-old Echoes of Kepler
This paper discusses measurements of the apparent diameter and parallax of the star Sirius, made in the early 18th century by Jacques Cassini, and how those measurements were discu...
New Astronomy in Service of Old Astrology: Close Planetary Conjunctions in Pre-Modern China
New Astronomy in Service of Old Astrology: Close Planetary Conjunctions in Pre-Modern China
This article introduces various definitions and criteria for the astronomical phenomena of “encroachments” (close lunar and planetary conjunctions) in pre-modern China. With improv...
Making Telescopes and Partying with the Stars: Amateur Astronomy in Spain during Franco’s Dictatorship
Making Telescopes and Partying with the Stars: Amateur Astronomy in Spain during Franco’s Dictatorship
Franco’s dictatorship was characterized by an official narrative that criminalized the liberal tradition of previous periods. Such a discourse defined an ideologically correct scie...
Popularizing Astronomy in the German Free Religious Movement, 1851–1852
Popularizing Astronomy in the German Free Religious Movement, 1851–1852
In 1851 and 1852, the Halle schoolteacher H. Weißgerber published a series of eight articles in the journal Neue Reform, zur Förderung der Religion der Menschlichkeit, a prominent ...
Christmas 1668 and After: How Jesuit Astronomy Was Restored to Power in Beijing
Christmas 1668 and After: How Jesuit Astronomy Was Restored to Power in Beijing
This article offers new insights into a series of dramatic events that took place at the imperial Chinese court in December 1668, in which astronomy, politics, and religion all pla...
Ideology, Nationalism, and Architecture: Representations of Kurdish Sites in Turkish Art Historiography
Ideology, Nationalism, and Architecture: Representations of Kurdish Sites in Turkish Art Historiography
This article discusses how the narrative of Turkish national historiography, crafted by Turkish elites in the 1930s in light of the official doctrine of the Turkish History Thesis ...
Recent Results
Dramaturgy According to Daedalus: the Odin Teatret Production of ‘Mythos’
Dramaturgy According to Daedalus: the Odin Teatret Production of ‘Mythos’
This is not only the story of an actor whose character began as Clytemnestra and became Daedalus, but of how the slow and arduous discovery of that character helped to form and tra...
Las raíces de la literatura tradicional entretejidas en el universo mágico de Harry Potter
Las raíces de la literatura tradicional entretejidas en el universo mágico de Harry Potter
El presente artículo de reflexión tiene como propósito resaltar la vigencia e importancia de la literatura tradicional en la creación de los diversos mundos imaginarios que ofrece ...
Gabe Jones
Gabe Jones
Introduced in the 1963 Marvel comic Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos, Gabe Jones is ‘one of the first “normal” black people in comics. […] I mean not a racist caricature’, in th...
Is the YouTube Animation Algorithm-Friendly? How YouTube’s Algorithm Influences the Evolution of Animation Production on the Internet
Is the YouTube Animation Algorithm-Friendly? How YouTube’s Algorithm Influences the Evolution of Animation Production on the Internet
YouTube has become a great showcase for audiovisual products and a source of income for a number of creators. Several pioneers of internet animation migrated to this platform to pr...