Combining two field is not always easy, but for Johannes Kepler it was. The astronomer is most famous for discovering the three laws of planetary motion. However, discovering them was not an easy process. It took quite some time and would have been unachievable without the influence of theology on Kepler’s and previous astronomer’s work. The combination of astronomy and theology may seem far fetched, but the two had to go hand-in-hand for Kepler to achieve as much as he did.
Thesis:
Theology not only played a major role in Kepler’s scientific research, it also affected the reception and modern understanding of his work. One might wonder how a scientific man like Johannes Kepler was influenced by theology. The answer lies in his upbringing and education. Originally, the German was destined for a career as a Lutheran minister. At a young age, he took classes in Württemberg, Germany and later majored in theology and philosophy at a liberal arts university in Tübingen, Germany. At some point) during his time at Tübingen, Kepler discontinued his theology studies and instead focused on mathematics with Michel Maestlin
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Many times, people assume that the title means “mystery of the universe.” This is not the most accurate translation of the words. A better rendering of the title would be “the sacred mystery of the universe,” thus revealing Kepler’s religious intentions for the book. Kepler’s purpose for Mysterium Cosmographicum was to reveal his discoveries about what the world was like and the religious secrets of the universe in terms of God’s providential plan. Most specifically, Kepler’s epiphany about regular solids being the geometric basis of the universe. Kepler believed the five platonic solids; octahedron, icosahedron, dodecahedron, tetrahedron and cube, were used to fill the gaps between the six known planets. His reasoning was solely