The Birth of History and Philosophy of Science: Kepler's 'A Defence of Tycho against Ursus' with Essays on its Provenance and Significance

Nicholas Jardine offers here an edition and the first translation into English of Johannes Kepler's A Defence of Tycho against Ursus. He accompanies this with essays on the provenance of the treatise - the circumstances which provoked Kepler to write it, an analysis of its strategy, style and historical sources and of the contents of Ursus' Treatise on Astronomical Hypotheses to which Kepler was replying. Dr Jardine also provides three extended interpretive essays on the intrinsic interest and historical significance of the work. Cover Copyright Contents Acknowledgment Abbreviations of works frequently cited Introduction I: The provenance of the Apologia 1. The circumstances of composition 2. Ursus' Tractatus 3. Kepler's initial reactions to the Tractatus 4. The scope and form of the Apologia II: Apologia pro Tychone contra Ursum 5. Text and translation of the Apologia Ill: The significance of the Apologia 6. Against the sceptics 7. The status of astronomy 8. Historiography and validation 9. Final reflections Index of names