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150-727: Today, about 24,000 students study at the park campus in the northeast of Linz, with one out of nine students being from abroad. The university was the first in Austria to introduce an electronic student ID in 1998. The university is the home of the Johann Radon Institute for Computational and Applied Mathematics (RICAM) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences. The JKU was established as the "College of Social Sciences, Economics and Business" ( Hochschule für Sozial- und Wirtschaftswissenschaften ) in 1966. The Faculty of Sciences and Engineering

300-621: A mercenary , and he left the family when Johannes was five years old. He was believed to have died in the Eighty Years' War in the Netherlands. His mother, Katharina Guldenmann , an innkeeper's daughter, was a healer and herbalist . Johannes had six siblings, of which two brothers and one sister survived to adulthood. Born prematurely, he claimed to have been weak and sickly as a child. Nevertheless, he often impressed travelers at his grandfather's inn with his phenomenal mathematical faculty. He

450-412: A bright new evening star ( SN 1604 ) appeared, but Kepler did not believe the rumors until he saw it himself. Kepler began systematically observing the supernova. Astrologically, the end of 1603 marked the beginning of a fiery trigon , the start of the about 800-year cycle of great conjunctions ; astrologers associated the two previous such periods with the rise of Charlemagne (c. 800 years earlier) and

600-542: A career in planetary science undergo graduate-level studies in one of the Earth sciences, astronomy, astrophysics, geophysics, or physics. They then focus their research within the discipline of planetary science. Major conferences are held annually, and numerous peer reviewed journals cater to the diverse research interests in planetary science. Some planetary scientists are employed by private research centers and frequently engage in collaborative research initiatives. Constituting

750-648: A chronology manuscript, Eclogae Chronicae , from correspondence and earlier work. Upon succession as Holy Roman Emperor, Matthias re-affirmed Kepler's position (and salary) as imperial mathematician but allowed him to move to Linz. In Linz, Kepler's primary responsibilities (beyond completing the Rudolphine Tables ) were teaching at the district school and providing astrological and astronomical services. In his first years there, he enjoyed financial security and religious freedom relative to his life in Prague—though he

900-476: A connection between the cosmos and the individual. He eventually published some of the ideas he had entertained while a student in the Mysterium Cosmographicum (1596), published a little over a year after his arrival at Graz. In December 1595, Kepler was introduced to Barbara Müller, a 23-year-old widow (twice over) with a young daughter, Regina Lorenz, and he began courting her. Müller, an heiress to

1050-485: A fantastic trip to the Moon; it was part allegory, part autobiography, and part treatise on interplanetary travel (and is sometimes described as the first work of science fiction). Years later, a distorted version of the story may have instigated the witchcraft trial against his mother, as the mother of the narrator consults a demon to learn the means of space travel. Following her eventual acquittal, Kepler composed 223 footnotes to

1200-534: A harsh but legitimate critique of Kepler's system; among a host of objections, Tycho took issue with the use of inaccurate numerical data taken from Copernicus. Through their letters, Tycho and Kepler discussed a broad range of astronomical problems, dwelling on lunar phenomena and Copernican theory (particularly its theological viability). But without the significantly more accurate data of Tycho's observatory, Kepler had no way to address many of these issues. Instead, he turned his attention to chronology and "harmony,"

1350-484: A key part of most scientific discourse. Such integrative fields, for example, include nanoscience , astrobiology , and complex system informatics . Materials science is a relatively new, interdisciplinary field that deals with the study of matter and its properties and the discovery and design of new materials. Originally developed through the field of metallurgy , the study of the properties of materials and solids has now expanded into all materials. The field covers

1500-447: A laboratory, using a series of (often well-tested) techniques for manipulating materials, as well as an understanding of the underlying processes. Chemistry is often called " the central science " because of its role in connecting the other natural sciences. Early experiments in chemistry had their roots in the system of alchemy , a set of beliefs combining mysticism with physical experiments. The science of chemistry began to develop with

1650-423: A level equal with theology and the debate of religious constructs in a scientific context, showed the persistence with which Catholic leaders resisted the development of natural philosophy even from a theological perspective. Aquinas and Albertus Magnus , another Catholic theologian of the era, sought to distance theology from science in their works. "I don't see what one's interpretation of Aristotle has to do with

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1800-454: A mathematical relationship that would restore astronomical order. Based on measurements of the aphelion and perihelion of the Earth and Mars, he created a formula in which a planet's rate of motion is inversely proportional to its distance from the Sun. Verifying this relationship throughout the orbital cycle required very extensive calculation; to simplify this task, by late 1602 Kepler reformulated

1950-464: A mathematician to Archduke Ferdinand . To that end, Kepler composed an essay—dedicated to Ferdinand—in which he proposed a force-based theory of lunar motion: "In Terra inest virtus, quae Lunam ciet" ("There is a force in the earth which causes the moon to move"). Though the essay did not earn him a place in Ferdinand's court, it did detail a new method for measuring lunar eclipses, which he applied during

2100-400: A matter not only for their existence but also for their definition." There was broad agreement among scholars in medieval times that natural science was about bodies in motion. However, there was division about including fields such as medicine, music, and perspective. Philosophers pondered questions including the existence of a vacuum, whether motion could produce heat, the colors of rainbows,

2250-404: A model that generally agreed with Tycho's observations to within two arcminutes (the average measurement error). But he was not satisfied with the complex and still slightly inaccurate result; at certain points the model differed from the data by up to eight arcminutes. The wide array of traditional mathematical astronomy methods having failed him, Kepler set about trying to fit an ovoid orbit to

2400-454: A number of treaties dealing with the subject of astrology proper. In his bid to become imperial astronomer, Kepler wrote De Fundamentis (1601), whose full title can be translated as “On Giving Astrology Sounder Foundations”, as a short foreword to one of his yearly almanacs. In this work, Kepler describes the effects of the Sun, Moon, and the planets in terms of their light and their influences upon humors, finalizing with Kepler's view that

2550-514: A position as teacher and district mathematician in Linz . However, Barbara relapsed into illness and died shortly after Kepler's return. Kepler postponed the move to Linz and remained in Prague until Rudolf's death in early 1612, though between political upheaval, religious tension, and family tragedy (along with the legal dispute over his wife's estate), Kepler could do no research. Instead, he pieced together

2700-700: A research-led expansion and in-depth look at fields relevant to the web such as technology, business, law, society, art and culture. The JKU maintains several distance learning centers in Austria that offer degrees and courses at the German FernUniversität Hagen , the British Open University and JKU's own distance law degree program. Johannes Kepler This is an accepted version of this page Johannes Kepler ( / ˈ k ɛ p l ər / ; German: [joˈhanəs ˈkɛplɐ, -nɛs -] ; 27 December 1571 – 15 November 1630)

2850-480: A separate field in its own right, most modern workers in the field agree that it has matured to a state that it has its own paradigms and practices. Planetary science or planetology, is the scientific study of planets, which include terrestrial planets like the Earth, and other types of planets, such as gas giants and ice giants . Planetary science also concerns other celestial bodies, such as dwarf planets moons , asteroids , and comets . This largely includes

3000-400: A significant role in the other natural sciences, as represented by astrophysics , geophysics , chemical physics and biophysics . Likewise chemistry is represented by such fields as biochemistry , physical chemistry , geochemistry and astrochemistry . A particular example of a scientific discipline that draws upon multiple natural sciences is environmental science . This field studies

3150-476: A significant role in the world economy. Physics embodies the study of the fundamental constituents of the universe , the forces and interactions they exert on one another, and the results produced by these interactions. Physics is generally regarded as foundational because all other natural sciences use and obey the field's principles and laws. Physics relies heavily on mathematics as the logical framework for formulating and quantifying principles. The study of

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3300-410: A step closer to direct inquiry about cause and effect in nature between 600 and 400 BC. However, an element of magic and mythology remained. Natural phenomena such as earthquakes and eclipses were explained increasingly in the context of nature itself instead of being attributed to angry gods. Thales of Miletus , an early philosopher who lived from 625 to 546 BC, explained earthquakes by theorizing that

3450-507: A superb mathematician and earned a reputation as a skillful astrologer, casting horoscopes for fellow students. Under the instruction of Michael Maestlin, Tübingen's professor of mathematics from 1583 to 1631, he learned both the Ptolemaic system and the Copernican system of planetary motion. He became a Copernican at that time. In a student disputation, he defended heliocentrism from both

3600-673: A theoretical and theological perspective, maintaining that the Sun was the principal source of motive power in the universe. Despite his desire to become a minister in the Lutheran church, he was denied ordination because of beliefs contrary to the Formula of Concord . Near the end of his studies, Kepler was recommended for a position as teacher of mathematics and astronomy at the Protestant school in Graz. He accepted

3750-454: A total of 127 institutes. The Faculty of Social Sciences, Economics and Business is the oldest and largest faculty in terms of students and graduates. The faculty consists of 32 institutes and offers academic degrees e.g. in Economics and Business Administration , Business Informatics , Business and Education , Social Economics , Sociology and Statistics . The faculty's abbreviation SoWi

3900-612: A tract against Tycho's (by then deceased) rival, Ursus. In September, Tycho secured him a commission as a collaborator on the new project he had proposed to the emperor: the Rudolphine Tables that should replace the Prutenic Tables of Erasmus Reinhold . Two days after Tycho's unexpected death on 24 October 1601, Kepler was appointed his successor as the imperial mathematician with the responsibility to complete his unfinished work. The next 11 years as imperial mathematician would be

4050-731: A treatise by the earlier Persian scholar Al-Farabi called On the Sciences into Latin, calling the study of the mechanics of nature Scientia naturalis , or natural science. Gundissalinus also proposed his classification of the natural sciences in his 1150 work On the Division of Philosophy . This was the first detailed classification of the sciences based on Greek and Arab philosophy to reach Western Europe. Gundissalinus defined natural science as "the science considering only things unabstracted and with motion," as opposed to mathematics and sciences that rely on mathematics. Following Al-Farabi, he separated

4200-488: A unique arrangement of polygons that fit known astronomical observations (even with extra planets added to the system), Kepler began experimenting with 3-dimensional polyhedra . He found that each of the five Platonic solids could be inscribed and circumscribed by spherical orbs ; nesting these solids, each encased in a sphere, within one another would produce six layers, corresponding to the six known planets— Mercury , Venus , Earth , Mars , Jupiter, and Saturn. By ordering

4350-615: A universal mathematical physics. Kepler was born on 27 December 1571, in the Free Imperial City of Weil der Stadt (now part of the Stuttgart Region in the German state of Baden-Württemberg ). His grandfather, Sebald Kepler, had been Lord Mayor of the city. By the time Johannes was born, the Kepler family fortune was in decline. His father, Heinrich Kepler, earned a precarious living as

4500-473: A work dismissing astrology altogether (and Roeslin's work in particular). In response to what Kepler saw as the excesses of astrology, on the one hand, and overzealous rejection of it, on the other, Kepler prepared Tertius Interveniens (1610). Nominally this work—presented to the common patron of Roeslin and Feselius—was a neutral mediation between the feuding scholars (the titled meaning "Third-party interventions"), but it also set out Kepler's general views on

4650-580: Is a natural science that studies celestial objects and phenomena. Objects of interest include planets, moons, stars, nebulae, galaxies, and comets. Astronomy is the study of everything in the universe beyond Earth's atmosphere, including objects we can see with our naked eyes. It is one of the oldest sciences. Astronomers of early civilizations performed methodical observations of the night sky, and astronomical artifacts have been found from much earlier periods. There are two types of astronomy: observational astronomy and theoretical astronomy. Observational astronomy

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4800-468: Is alternatively known as biology , and physical science is subdivided into branches: physics , chemistry , earth science , and astronomy . These branches of natural science may be further divided into more specialized branches (also known as fields). As empirical sciences, natural sciences use tools from the formal sciences , such as mathematics and logic , converting information about nature into measurements that can be explained as clear statements of

4950-420: Is an all-embracing term for the sciences related to the planet Earth , including geology , geography , geophysics , geochemistry , climatology , glaciology , hydrology , meteorology , and oceanography . Although mining and precious stones have been human interests throughout the history of civilization, the development of the related sciences of economic geology and mineralogy did not occur until

5100-399: Is concerned with the characteristics, classification and behaviors of organisms , as well as how species were formed and their interactions with each other and the environment . The biological fields of botany , zoology , and medicine date back to early periods of civilization, while microbiology was introduced in the 17th century with the invention of the microscope. However, it

5250-560: Is derived from the German name of the faculty, So zial- und Wi rtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät . The Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences was established in 1969 and initially offered degrees e.g. in Technical Mathematics , Computer Science and Technical Physics . Over time, degrees in Technical Chemistry , Mechatronics and Information Electronics were introduced. Several master's degrees to specialize in

5400-474: Is derived from the first two letters of the faculty's name German name, Re chtswissenschaftliche Fakultät. At present, the RE faculty consists of 20 institutes. The Faculty of Medicine was founded in 2014. A new MED-Campus is being built. The Leading Innovative Organizations program is a one-year master's program offered jointly by the institute for organization, the institute for leadershing and change management and

5550-627: Is expected to better facilitate traffic, allowing a more direct route to the university. A bicycle path in the north-east corner of the town located along the north side of the Danube river provides direct access to the university and helps to reduce traffic in the area. Many larger dormitories are within walking distance of the university, such as the Julius Raab Heim , the WIST Haus , the Kepler Heim ,

5700-529: Is focused on acquiring and analyzing data, mainly using basic principles of physics. In contrast, Theoretical astronomy is oriented towards developing computer or analytical models to describe astronomical objects and phenomena. This discipline is the science of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the Earth's atmosphere . It is concerned with the evolution, physics , chemistry , meteorology , geology , and motion of celestial objects, as well as

5850-434: Is one of the branches of science concerned with the description, understanding and prediction of natural phenomena , based on empirical evidence from observation and experimentation . Mechanisms such as peer review and reproducibility of findings are used to try to ensure the validity of scientific advances. Natural science can be divided into two main branches: life science and physical science . Life science

6000-519: Is sub-categorized into more specialized cross-disciplines, such as physical oceanography and marine biology . As the marine ecosystem is vast and diverse, marine biology is further divided into many subfields, including specializations in particular species . There is also a subset of cross-disciplinary fields with strong currents that run counter to specialization by the nature of the problems they address. Put another way: In some fields of integrative application, specialists in more than one field are

6150-516: Is twice the difference in orb radius. However, Kepler later rejected this formula, because it was not precise enough. Kepler thought the Mysterium had revealed God's geometrical plan for the universe. Much of Kepler's enthusiasm for the Copernican system stemmed from his theological convictions about the connection between the physical and the spiritual ; the universe itself was an image of God, with

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6300-422: The Rudolphine Tables in 1623, which at the time was considered his major work. However, due to the publishing requirements of the emperor and negotiations with Tycho Brahe's heir, it would not be printed until 1627. Like Ptolemy , Kepler considered astrology as the counterpart to astronomy, and as being of equal interest and value. However, in the following years, the two subjects drifted apart until astrology

6450-564: The Ayurvedic tradition saw health and illness as a combination of three humors: wind , bile and phlegm . A healthy life resulted from a balance among these humors. In Ayurvedic thought, the body consisted of five elements: earth, water, fire, wind, and space. Ayurvedic surgeons performed complex surgeries and developed a detailed understanding of human anatomy. Pre-Socratic philosophers in Ancient Greek culture brought natural philosophy

6600-646: The ESH and the KHG Heim . Several other dormitories are located in different parts of Linz, providing housing for more than 3,100 students in all of Linz. Some of the dormitories become hotels during the summer holidays, most notably the Julius Raab Heim under the name Hotel Sommerhaus . The vice-chancellor and the Academic Senate are responsible for the university's management. There are several pro-vice-chancellors who are each assigned to specific task areas and who assist

6750-693: The Epitome is less about Copernicus's work and more about Kepler's own astronomical system. The Epitome contained all three laws of planetary motion and attempted to explain heavenly motions through physical causes. Although it explicitly extended the first two laws of planetary motion (applied to Mars in Astronomia nova ) to all the planets as well as the Moon and the Medicean satellites of Jupiter , it did not explain how elliptical orbits could be derived from observational data. Originally intended as an introduction for

6900-680: The Mesopotamian and Ancient Egyptian cultures, which produced the first known written evidence of natural philosophy , the precursor of natural science. While the writings show an interest in astronomy, mathematics, and other aspects of the physical world, the ultimate aim of inquiry about nature's workings was, in all cases, religious or mythological, not scientific. A tradition of scientific inquiry also emerged in Ancient China , where Taoist alchemists and philosophers experimented with elixirs to extend life and cure ailments. They focused on

7050-701: The Solar System , but recently has started to expand to exoplanets , particularly terrestrial exoplanets . It explores various objects, spanning from micrometeoroids to gas giants, to establish their composition, movements, genesis, interrelation, and past. Planetary science is an interdisciplinary domain, having originated from astronomy and Earth science , and currently encompassing a multitude of areas, such as planetary geology , cosmochemistry , atmospheric science , physics , oceanography , hydrology , theoretical planetology , glaciology , and exoplanetology. Related fields encompass space physics , which delves into

7200-467: The Thirty Years' War . Kepler's belief that God created the cosmos in an orderly fashion caused him to attempt to determine and comprehend the laws that govern the natural world, most profoundly in astronomy. The phrase "I am merely thinking God's thoughts after Him" has been attributed to him, although this is probably a capsulized version of a writing from his hand: Those laws [of nature] are within

7350-587: The University of Tübingen in Württemberg, concerns over Kepler's perceived Calvinist heresies in violation of the Augsburg Confession and the Formula of Concord prevented his return. The University of Padua —on the recommendation of the departing Galileo—sought Kepler to fill the mathematics professorship, but Kepler, preferring to keep his family in German territory, instead travelled to Austria to arrange

7500-522: The cell or organic molecule . Modern biology is divided into subdisciplines by the type of organism and by the scale being studied. Molecular biology is the study of the fundamental chemistry of life, while cellular biology is the examination of the cell; the basic building block of all life. At a higher level, anatomy and physiology look at the internal structures, and their functions, of an organism, while ecology looks at how various organisms interrelate. Earth science (also known as geoscience)

7650-624: The formation and development of the universe . Astronomy includes examining, studying, and modeling stars, planets, and comets. Most of the information used by astronomers is gathered by remote observation. However, some laboratory reproduction of celestial phenomena has been performed (such as the molecular chemistry of the interstellar medium ). There is considerable overlap with physics and in some areas of earth science . There are also interdisciplinary fields such as astrophysics , planetary sciences , and cosmology , along with allied disciplines such as space physics and astrochemistry . While

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7800-458: The marriage problem ). He eventually returned to Reuttinger (the fifth match) who, he wrote, "won me over with love, humble loyalty, economy of household, diligence, and the love she gave the stepchildren." The first three children of this marriage (Margareta Regina, Katharina, and Sebald) died in childhood. Three more survived into adulthood: Cordula (born 1621); Fridmar (born 1623); and Hildebert (born 1625). According to Kepler's biographers, this

7950-442: The numerological relationships among music, mathematics and the physical world, and their astrological consequences. By assuming the Earth to possess a soul (a property he would later invoke to explain how the Sun causes the motion of planets), he established a speculative system connecting astrological aspects and astronomical distances to weather and other earthly phenomena. By 1599, however, he again felt his work limited by

8100-522: The yin and yang , or contrasting elements in nature; the yin was associated with femininity and coldness, while yang was associated with masculinity and warmth. The five phases – fire, earth, metal, wood, and water – described a cycle of transformations in nature. The water turned into wood, which turned into the fire when it burned. The ashes left by fire were earth. Using these principles, Chinese philosophers and doctors explored human anatomy, characterizing organs as predominantly yin or yang, and understood

8250-515: The " laws of nature ". Modern natural science succeeded more classical approaches to natural philosophy . Galileo , Kepler , Descartes , Bacon , and Newton debated the benefits of using approaches which were more mathematical and more experimental in a methodical way. Still, philosophical perspectives, conjectures , and presuppositions , often overlooked, remain necessary in natural science. Systematic data collection, including discovery science , succeeded natural history , which emerged in

8400-541: The 10 July eclipse in Graz. These observations formed the basis of his explorations of the laws of optics that would culminate in Astronomiae Pars Optica . On 2 August 1600, after refusing to convert to Catholicism, Kepler and his family were banished from Graz. Several months later, Kepler returned, now with the rest of his household, to Prague. Through most of 1601, he was supported directly by Tycho, who assigned him to analyzing planetary observations and writing

8550-492: The 16th century by describing and classifying plants, animals, minerals, and so on. Today, "natural history" suggests observational descriptions aimed at popular audiences. Philosophers of science have suggested several criteria, including Karl Popper 's controversial falsifiability criterion, to help them differentiate scientific endeavors from non-scientific ones. Validity , accuracy , and quality control , such as peer review and reproducibility of findings, are amongst

8700-454: The 16th century, and he is considered to be the father of biology for his pioneering work in that science . He also presented philosophies about physics, nature, and astronomy using inductive reasoning in his works Physics and Meteorology . While Aristotle considered natural philosophy more seriously than his predecessors, he approached it as a theoretical branch of science. Still, inspired by his work, Ancient Roman philosophers of

8850-405: The 18.6-year lunar node precession cycle .) Kepler advocates searching for such cycles by gathering observations over a period of many years, "and so far this observation has not been made". Kepler and Helisaeus Roeslin engaged in a series of published attacks and counter-attacks on the importance of astrology after the supernova of 1604; around the same time, physician Philip Feselius published

9000-549: The 18th century. The study of the earth, particularly paleontology , blossomed in the 19th century. The growth of other disciplines, such as geophysics , in the 20th century led to the development of the theory of plate tectonics in the 1960s, which has had a similar effect on the Earth sciences as the theory of evolution had on biology. Earth sciences today are closely linked to petroleum and mineral resources , climate research, and to environmental assessment and remediation . Although sometimes considered in conjunction with

9150-488: The Bible exegesis and the addition of a simpler, more understandable, description of the Copernican system as well as Kepler's new ideas. Mysterium was published late in 1596, and Kepler received his copies and began sending them to prominent astronomers and patrons early in 1597; it was not widely read, but it established Kepler's reputation as a highly skilled astronomer. The effusive dedication, to powerful patrons as well as to

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9300-505: The Catholic Church, as well as the start of the Thirty Years' War , meant that publication of the next two volumes would be delayed. In the interim, and to avoid being subject to the ban, Kepler switched the audience of the Epitome from beginners to that of expert astronomers and mathematicians, as the arguments became more and more sophisticated and required advanced mathematics to be understood. The second volume, consisting of Book IV,

9450-416: The Earth possesses a soul with some sense of geometry. Stimulated by the geometric convergence of rays formed around it, the world-soul is sentient but not conscious. As a shepherd is pleased by the piping of a flute without understanding the theory of musical harmony, so likewise Earth responds to the angles and aspects made by the heavens but not in a conscious manner. Eclipses are important as omens because

9600-485: The Graz school inspectors, Kepler began an ambitious program to extend and elaborate his work. He planned four additional books: one on the stationary aspects of the universe (the Sun and the fixed stars); one on the planets and their motions; one on the physical nature of planets and the formation of geographical features (focused especially on Earth); and one on the effects of the heavens on the Earth, to include atmospheric optics, meteorology, and astrology. He also sought

9750-599: The Keplerian telescope, which became the foundation of the modern refracting telescope, while also improving on the telescope design by Galileo Galilei , who mentioned Kepler's discoveries in his work. Kepler lived in an era when there was no clear distinction between astronomy and astrology , but there was a strong division between astronomy (a branch of mathematics within the liberal arts ) and physics (a branch of natural philosophy ). Kepler also incorporated religious arguments and reasoning into his work, motivated by

9900-567: The Lutherans against Kepler. His first publication in Linz was De vero Anno (1613), an expanded treatise on the year of Christ's birth. He also participated in deliberations on whether to introduce Pope Gregory 's reformed calendar to Protestant German lands. On 30 October 1613, Kepler married Susanna Reuttinger. Following the death of his first wife Barbara, Kepler had considered 11 different matches over two years (a decision process formalized later as

10050-529: The Mars data (the Vicarious Hypothesis ), Kepler immediately concluded that all planets move in ellipses, with the Sun at one focus —his first law of planetary motion. Because he employed no calculating assistants, he did not extend the mathematical analysis beyond Mars. By the end of the year, he completed the manuscript for Astronomia nova , though it would not be published until 1609 due to legal disputes over

10200-560: The Middle Ages brought with it further advances in natural philosophy. European inventions such as the horseshoe , horse collar and crop rotation allowed for rapid population growth, eventually giving way to urbanization and the foundation of schools connected to monasteries and cathedrals in modern-day France and England . Aided by the schools, an approach to Christian theology developed that sought to answer questions about nature and other subjects using logic. This approach, however,

10350-639: The Sun corresponding to the Father, the stellar sphere to the Son , and the intervening space between them to the Holy Spirit . His first manuscript of Mysterium contained an extensive chapter reconciling heliocentrism with biblical passages that seemed to support geocentrism. With the support of his mentor Michael Maestlin, Kepler received permission from the Tübingen university senate to publish his manuscript, pending removal of

10500-475: The West. Christopher Columbus 's discovery of a new world changed perceptions about the physical makeup of the world, while observations by Copernicus , Tyco Brahe and Galileo brought a more accurate picture of the solar system as heliocentric and proved many of Aristotle's theories about the heavenly bodies false. Several 17th-century philosophers, including Thomas Hobbes , John Locke and Francis Bacon , made

10650-607: The analysis, under Tycho's direction, of the orbit of Mars. In this work Kepler introduced the revolutionary concept of planetary orbit, a path of a planet in space resulting from the action of physical causes, distinct from previously held notion of planetary orb (a spherical shell to which planet is attached). As a result of this breakthrough astronomical phenomena came to be seen as being governed by physical laws. Kepler calculated and recalculated various approximations of Mars's orbit using an equant (the mathematical tool that Copernicus had eliminated with his system), eventually creating

10800-407: The animal faculty of the Earth is violently disturbed by the sudden intermission of light, experiencing something like emotion and persisting in it for some time. Kepler surmises that the Earth has "cycles of humors" as living animals do, and gives for an example that "the highest tides of the sea are said by sailors to return after nineteen years around the same days of the year". (This may refer to

10950-418: The area of computer science, mathematics and physics, such as pervasive computing , industrial mathematics or biophysics are available. Doctorate degrees are offered in the areas of natural science and technical science . The TN faculty consists of 51 distinctive institutes and the German name is T echnisch- N aturwissenschaftliche F akultät , hence the abbreviation TN or TNF . The Faculty of Law

11100-509: The birth of Christ (c. 1600 years earlier), and thus expected events of great portent, especially regarding the emperor. It was in this context, as the imperial mathematician and astrologer to the emperor, that Kepler described the new star two years later in his De Stella Nova . In it, Kepler addressed the star's astronomical properties while taking a skeptical approach to the many astrological interpretations then circulating. He noted its fading luminosity, speculated about its origin, and used

11250-501: The campus added the "JKU Science Park", additional buildings for science and engineering institutes. In 2019 many new buildings are being built. JKU's campus is located in the northeast of Linz , in the Auhof area of the St. Magdalena district. The university buildings are placed in a 90-acre (364,000 m) park centered around a pond. The campus is accessible by the Linz tram lines 1 and 2 and

11400-490: The case of astrology, the interaction between those tones and human souls. In the final portion of the work (Book V), Kepler dealt with planetary motions, especially relationships between orbital velocity and orbital distance from the Sun. Similar relationships had been used by other astronomers, but Kepler—with Tycho's data and his own astronomical theories—treated them much more precisely and attached new physical significance to them. Natural science Natural science

11550-542: The chemistry, physics, and engineering applications of materials, including metals, ceramics, artificial polymers, and many others. The field's core deals with relating the structure of materials with their properties. Materials science is at the forefront of research in science and engineering. It is an essential part of forensic engineering (the investigation of materials, products, structures, or components that fail or do not operate or function as intended, causing personal injury or damage to property) and failure analysis ,

11700-512: The conclusion that something is impossible. While an impossibility assertion in natural science can never be proved, it could be refuted by the observation of a single counterexample. Such a counterexample would require that the assumptions underlying the theory that implied the impossibility be re-examined. This field encompasses a diverse set of disciplines that examine phenomena related to living organisms. The scale of study can range from sub-component biophysics up to complex ecologies . Biology

11850-580: The data. In Kepler's religious view of the cosmos, the Sun (a symbol of God the Father ) was the source of motive force in the Solar System. As a physical basis, Kepler drew by analogy on William Gilbert 's theory of the magnetic soul of the Earth from De Magnete (1600) and on his own work on optics. Kepler supposed that the motive power (or motive species ) radiated by the Sun weakens with distance, causing faster or slower motion as planets move closer or farther from it. Perhaps this assumption entailed

12000-494: The development of thermodynamics , and the quantum mechanical model of atomic and subatomic physics. The field of physics is vast and can include such diverse studies as quantum mechanics and theoretical physics , applied physics and optics . Modern physics is becoming increasingly specialized, where researchers tend to focus on a particular area rather than being "universalists" like Isaac Newton , Albert Einstein , and Lev Landau , who worked in multiple areas. Astronomy

12150-613: The difficulties of the over-extended imperial treasury meant that actually getting hold of enough money to meet financial obligations was a continual struggle. Partly because of financial troubles, his life at home with Barbara was unpleasant, marred with bickering and bouts of sickness. Court life, however, brought Kepler into contact with other prominent scholars ( Johannes Matthäus Wackher von Wackhenfels , Jost Bürgi , David Fabricius , Martin Bachazek, and Johannes Brengger, among others) and astronomical work proceeded rapidly. In October 1604,

12300-562: The early 13th century, although the practice was frowned upon by the Catholic church. A 1210 decree from the Synod of Paris ordered that "no lectures are to be held in Paris either publicly or privately using Aristotle's books on natural philosophy or the commentaries, and we forbid all this under pain of ex-communication." In the late Middle Ages, Spanish philosopher Dominicus Gundissalinus translated

12450-497: The early 1st century AD, including Lucretius , Seneca and Pliny the Elder , wrote treatises that dealt with the rules of the natural world in varying degrees of depth. Many Ancient Roman Neoplatonists of the 3rd to the 6th centuries also adapted Aristotle's teachings on the physical world to a philosophy that emphasized spiritualism. Early medieval philosophers including Macrobius , Calcidius and Martianus Capella also examined

12600-447: The earth sciences, due to the independent development of its concepts, techniques, and practices and also the fact of it having a wide range of sub-disciplines under its wing, atmospheric science is also considered a separate branch of natural science. This field studies the characteristics of different layers of the atmosphere from ground level to the edge of the space. The timescale of the study also varies from day to century. Sometimes,

12750-496: The emperor sought Kepler's advice in times of political trouble. Rudolf was actively interested in the work of many of his court scholars (including numerous alchemists ) and kept up with Kepler's work in physical astronomy as well. Officially, the only acceptable religious doctrines in Prague were Catholic and Utraquist , but Kepler's position in the imperial court allowed him to practice his Lutheran faith unhindered. The emperor nominally provided an ample income for his family, but

12900-449: The estates of her late husbands, was also the daughter of a successful mill owner. Her father Jobst initially opposed a marriage. Even though Kepler had inherited his grandfather's nobility, Kepler's poverty made him an unacceptable match. Jobst relented after Kepler completed work on Mysterium , but the engagement nearly fell apart while Kepler was away tending to the details of publication. However, Protestant officials—who had helped set up

13050-526: The express bus line 77 . On weekdays, trams travel every 5 minutes and a trip to the city center ( Hauptplatz ) takes approximately 16 minutes. The JKU is also located close to Austria's autobahn network at the Dornach exit on the A7 Mühlkreisautobahn (ca. 1 km or 0.6 miles). In anticipation of extending the campus, an additional autobahn exit, Auhof , is currently in the construction stages and

13200-400: The field also includes the study of climatic patterns on planets other than Earth. The serious study of oceans began in the early- to mid-20th century. As a field of natural science, it is relatively young, but stand-alone programs offer specializations in the subject. Though some controversies remain as to the categorization of the field under earth sciences, interdisciplinary sciences, or as

13350-515: The founders and fathers of modern astronomy , the scientific method , natural and modern science . He has been described as the "father of science fiction " for his novel Somnium . Kepler was a mathematics teacher at a seminary school in Graz , where he became an associate of Prince Hans Ulrich von Eggenberg . Later he became an assistant to the astronomer Tycho Brahe in Prague , and eventually

13500-536: The grasp of the human mind; God wanted us to recognize them by creating us after his own image so that we could share in his own thoughts. Kepler advocated for tolerance among Christian denominations, for example arguing that Catholics and Lutherans should be able to take communion together. He wrote, "Christ the Lord neither was nor is Lutheran, nor Calvinist, nor Papist." Kepler's first major astronomical work, Mysterium Cosmographicum ( The Cosmographic Mystery , 1596),

13650-772: The impact of the Sun on the bodies in the Solar System, and astrobiology . Planetary science comprises interconnected observational and theoretical branches. Observational research entails a combination of space exploration , primarily through robotic spacecraft missions utilizing remote sensing, and comparative experimental work conducted in Earth-based laboratories. The theoretical aspect involves extensive mathematical modelling and computer simulation . Typically, planetary scientists are situated within astronomy and physics or Earth sciences departments in universities or research centers. However, there are also dedicated planetary science institutes worldwide. Generally, individuals pursuing

13800-409: The imperial mathematician to Emperor Rudolf II and his two successors Matthias and Ferdinand II . He also taught mathematics in Linz , and was an adviser to General Wallenstein . Additionally, he did fundamental work in the field of optics , being named the father of modern optics, in particular for his Astronomiae pars optica . He also invented an improved version of the refracting telescope ,

13950-542: The inaccuracy of available data—just as growing religious tension was also threatening his continued employment in Graz. In December of that year, Tycho invited Kepler to visit him in Prague ; on 1 January 1600 (before he even received the invitation), Kepler set off in the hopes that Tycho's patronage could solve his philosophical problems as well as his social and financial ones. On 4 February 1600, Kepler met Tycho Brahe and his assistants Franz Tengnagel and Longomontanus at Benátky nad Jizerou (35 km from Prague),

14100-426: The institute of innovative management. It aims to offer its students the skills required to establish, lead, and manage a successful, innovative, and sustainable organization. The master's degree program in web sciences is divided into branches of study: social web , web art & design, web business & economy, web engineering as well as web and the law. It offers those with academic background in various fields

14250-436: The interactions of physical, chemical, geological, and biological components of the environment , with particular regard to the effect of human activities and the impact on biodiversity and sustainability . This science also draws upon expertise from other fields, such as economics, law, and social sciences. A comparable discipline is oceanography , as it draws upon a similar breadth of scientific disciplines. Oceanography

14400-511: The lack of observed parallax to argue that it was in the sphere of fixed stars, further undermining the doctrine of the immutability of the heavens (the idea accepted since Aristotle that the celestial spheres were perfect and unchanging). The birth of a new star implied the variability of the heavens. Kepler also attached an appendix where he discussed the recent chronology work of the Polish historian Laurentius Suslyga ; he calculated that, if Suslyga

14550-556: The latter being the key to understanding, for example, the cause of various aviation accidents. Many of the most pressing scientific problems that are faced today are due to the limitations of the materials that are available, and, as a result, breakthroughs in this field are likely to have a significant impact on the future of technology. The basis of materials science involves studying the structure of materials and relating them to their properties . Understanding this structure-property correlation, material scientists can then go on to study

14700-405: The life of Jesus . Around 1611, Kepler circulated a manuscript of what would eventually be published (posthumously) as Somnium [The Dream]. Part of the purpose of Somnium was to describe what practicing astronomy would be like from the perspective of another planet, to show the feasibility of a non-geocentric system. The manuscript, which disappeared after changing hands several times, described

14850-505: The match—pressured the Müllers to honor their agreement. Barbara and Johannes were married on 27 April 1597. In the first years of their marriage, the Keplers had two children (Heinrich and Susanna), both of whom died in infancy. In 1602, they had a daughter (Susanna); in 1604, a son (Friedrich); and in 1607, another son (Ludwig). Following the publication of Mysterium and with the blessing of

15000-418: The men who controlled his position in Graz, also provided a crucial doorway into the patronage system . In 1621, Kepler published an expanded second edition of Mysterium , half as long again as the first, detailing in footnotes the corrections and improvements he had achieved in the 25 years since its first publication. In terms of impact, the Mysterium can be seen as an important first step in modernizing

15150-459: The most productive of his life. Kepler's primary obligation as imperial mathematician was to provide astrological advice to the emperor. Though Kepler took a dim view of the attempts of contemporary astrologers to precisely predict the future or divine specific events, he had been casting well-received detailed horoscopes for friends, family, and patrons since his time as a student in Tübingen. In addition to horoscopes for allies and foreign leaders,

15300-454: The most respected criteria in today's global scientific community. In natural science, impossibility assertions come to be widely accepted as overwhelmingly probable rather than considered proven to the point of being unchallengeable. The basis for this strong acceptance is a combination of extensive evidence of something not occurring, combined with an underlying theory, very successful in making predictions, whose assumptions lead logically to

15450-413: The motion of the earth, whether elemental chemicals exist, and where in the atmosphere rain is formed. In the centuries up through the end of the Middle Ages, natural science was often mingled with philosophies about magic and the occult. Natural philosophy appeared in various forms, from treatises to encyclopedias to commentaries on Aristotle. The interaction between natural philosophy and Christianity

15600-473: The observational aspects of astronomy. In 1589, after moving through grammar school, Latin school , and seminary at Maulbronn , Kepler attended Tübinger Stift at the University of Tübingen . There, he studied philosophy under Vitus Müller and theology under Jacob Heerbrand (a student of Philipp Melanchthon at Wittenberg ), who also taught Michael Maestlin while he was a student, until he became Chancellor at Tübingen in 1590. He proved himself to be

15750-499: The opinions of many of the astronomers to whom he had sent Mysterium , among them Reimarus Ursus (Nicolaus Reimers Bär)—the imperial mathematician to Rudolf II and a bitter rival of Tycho Brahe . Ursus did not reply directly, but republished Kepler's flattering letter to pursue his priority dispute over (what is now called) the Tychonic system with Tycho. Despite this black mark, Tycho also began corresponding with Kepler, starting with

15900-409: The origins of natural science as far back as pre-literate human societies, where understanding the natural world was necessary for survival. People observed and built up knowledge about the behavior of animals and the usefulness of plants as food and medicine, which was passed down from generation to generation. These primitive understandings gave way to more formalized inquiry around 3500 to 3000 BC in

16050-587: The physical world, largely from a cosmological and cosmographical perspective, putting forth theories on the arrangement of celestial bodies and the heavens, which were posited as being composed of aether . Aristotle's works on natural philosophy continued to be translated and studied amid the rise of the Byzantine Empire and Abbasid Caliphate . In the Byzantine Empire, John Philoponus , an Alexandrian Aristotelian commentator and Christian theologian,

16200-508: The physical world; Plato criticized pre-Socratic thinkers as materialists and anti-religionists. Aristotle , however, a student of Plato who lived from 384 to 322 BC, paid closer attention to the natural world in his philosophy. In his History of Animals , he described the inner workings of 110 species, including the stingray , catfish and bee . He investigated chick embryos by breaking open eggs and observing them at various stages of development. Aristotle's works were influential through

16350-591: The position in April 1594, at the age of 22. Before concluding his studies at Tübingen, Kepler accepted an offer to teach mathematics as a replacement to Georg Stadius at the Protestant school in Graz (now in Styria, Austria). During this period (1594–1600), he issued many official calendars and prognostications that enhanced his reputation as an astrologer. Although Kepler had mixed feelings about astrology and disparaged many customary practices of astrologers, he believed deeply in

16500-630: The principles of the universe has a long history and largely derives from direct observation and experimentation. The formulation of theories about the governing laws of the universe has been central to the study of physics from very early on, with philosophy gradually yielding to systematic, quantitative experimental testing and observation as the source of verification. Key historical developments in physics include Isaac Newton 's theory of universal gravitation and classical mechanics , an understanding of electricity and its relation to magnetism , Einstein 's theories of special and general relativity ,

16650-491: The proportion in terms of geometry: planets sweep out equal areas in equal times —his second law of planetary motion. He then set about calculating the entire orbit of Mars, using the geometrical rate law and assuming an egg-shaped ovoid orbit. After approximately 40 failed attempts, in late 1604 he at last hit upon the idea of an ellipse, which he had previously assumed to be too simple a solution for earlier astronomers to have overlooked. Finding that an elliptical orbit fit

16800-535: The reader by diverging too much from Ptolemy." Modern astronomy owes much to Mysterium Cosmographicum , despite flaws in its main thesis, "since it represents the first step in cleansing the Copernican system of the remnants of the Ptolemaic theory still clinging to it." The extended line of research that culminated in Astronomia Nova ( A New Astronomy )—including the first two laws of planetary motion —began with

16950-546: The relationship between the pulse, the heart, and the flow of blood in the body centuries before it became accepted in the West. Little evidence survives of how Ancient Indian cultures around the Indus River understood nature, but some of their perspectives may be reflected in the Vedas , a set of sacred Hindu texts. They reveal a conception of the universe as ever-expanding and constantly being recycled and reformed. Surgeons in

17100-426: The relative performance of a material in a particular application. The major determinants of the structure of a material and, thus, of its properties are its constituent chemical elements and how it has been processed into its final form. These characteristics, taken together and related through the laws of thermodynamics and kinetics , govern a material's microstructure and thus its properties. Some scholars trace

17250-474: The religious conviction and belief that God had created the world according to an intelligible plan that is accessible through the natural light of reason . Kepler described his new astronomy as "celestial physics", as "an excursion into Aristotle 's Metaphysics ", and as "a supplement to Aristotle's On the Heavens " , transforming the ancient tradition of physical cosmology by treating astronomy as part of

17400-504: The science that deals with bodies in motion. Roger Bacon , an English friar and philosopher, wrote that natural science dealt with "a principle of motion and rest, as in the parts of the elements of fire, air, earth, and water, and in all inanimate things made from them." These sciences also covered plants, animals and celestial bodies. Later in the 13th century, a Catholic priest and theologian Thomas Aquinas defined natural science as dealing with "mobile beings" and "things which depend on

17550-452: The sciences into eight parts, including: physics, cosmology, meteorology, minerals science, and plant and animal science. Later, philosophers made their own classifications of the natural sciences. Robert Kilwardby wrote On the Order of the Sciences in the 13th century that classed medicine as a mechanical science, along with agriculture, hunting, and theater, while defining natural science as

17700-475: The scientific study of matter at the atomic and molecular scale, chemistry deals primarily with collections of atoms, such as gases , molecules, crystals , and metals . The composition, statistical properties, transformations, and reactions of these materials are studied. Chemistry also involves understanding the properties and interactions of individual atoms and molecules for use in larger-scale applications. Most chemical processes can be studied directly in

17850-429: The site where Tycho's new observatory was being constructed. Over the next two months, he stayed as a guest, analyzing some of Tycho's observations of Mars; Tycho guarded his data closely, but was impressed by Kepler's theoretical ideas and soon allowed him more access. Kepler planned to test his theory from Mysterium Cosmographicum based on the Mars data, but he estimated that the work would take up to two years (since he

18000-419: The solids selectively— octahedron , icosahedron , dodecahedron , tetrahedron , cube —Kepler found that the spheres could be placed at intervals corresponding to the relative sizes of each planet's path, assuming the planets circle the Sun. Kepler also found a formula relating the size of each planet's orb to the length of its orbital period : from inner to outer planets, the ratio of increase in orbital period

18150-517: The stars, except in general statements to discourage drastic action). However, it was clear that Kepler's future prospects in the court of Matthias were dim. Also in that year, Barbara Kepler contracted Hungarian spotted fever , then began having seizures . As Barbara was recovering, Kepler's three children all fell sick with smallpox; Friedrich, 6, died. Following his son's death, Kepler sent letters to potential patrons in Württemberg and Padua . At

18300-530: The story—several times longer than the actual text—which explained the allegorical aspects as well as the considerable scientific content (particularly regarding lunar geography) hidden within the text. In 1611, the growing political-religious tension in Prague came to a head. Emperor Rudolf—whose health was failing—was forced to abdicate as King of Bohemia by his brother Matthias . Both sides sought Kepler's astrological advice, an opportunity he used to deliver conciliatory political advice (with little reference to

18450-415: The study of celestial features and phenomena can be traced back to antiquity, the scientific methodology of this field began to develop in the middle of the 17th century. A key factor was Galileo 's introduction of the telescope to examine the night sky in more detail. The mathematical treatment of astronomy began with Newton 's development of celestial mechanics and the laws of gravitation . However, it

18600-481: The teaching of the faith," he wrote in 1271. By the 16th and 17th centuries, natural philosophy evolved beyond commentary on Aristotle as more early Greek philosophy was uncovered and translated. The invention of the printing press in the 15th century, the invention of the microscope and telescope, and the Protestant Reformation fundamentally altered the social context in which scientific inquiry evolved in

18750-451: The theory proposed by Copernicus in his De revolutionibus orbium coelestium . While Copernicus sought to advance a heliocentric system in this book, he resorted to Ptolemaic devices (viz., epicycles and eccentric circles) in order to explain the change in planets' orbital speed, and also continued to use as a point of reference the center of the Earth's orbit rather than that of the Sun "as an aid to calculation and in order not to confuse

18900-512: The time of the Abbasid Caliphate from the 9th century onward, when Muslim scholars expanded upon Greek and Indian natural philosophy. The words alcohol , algebra and zenith all have Arabic roots. Aristotle's works and other Greek natural philosophy did not reach the West until about the middle of the 12th century, when works were translated from Greek and Arabic into Latin . The development of European civilization later in

19050-403: The uninitiated, Kepler sought to model his Epitome after that of his master Michael Maestlin , who published a well-regarded book explaining the basics of geocentric astronomy to non-experts. Kepler completed the first of three volumes, consisting of Books I–III, by 1615 in the same question-answer format of Maestlin's and have it printed in 1617. However, the banning of Copernican books by

19200-473: The use of Tycho's observations, the property of his heirs. Since completing the Astronomia Nova , Kepler had intended to compose an astronomy textbook that would cover all the fundamentals of heliocentric astronomy . Kepler spent the next several years working on what would become Epitome Astronomiae Copernicanae ( Epitome of Copernican Astronomy ). Despite its title, which merely hints at heliocentrism,

19350-399: The value of astrology, including some hypothesized mechanisms of interaction between planets and individual souls. While Kepler considered most traditional rules and methods of astrology to be the "evil-smelling dung" in which "an industrious hen" scrapes, there was an "occasional grain-seed, indeed, even a pearl or a gold nugget" to be found by the conscientious scientific astrologer. Kepler

19500-411: The vice-chancellor. The university board is an independent body that advises and counsels the vice-chancellor and the Academic Senate on management issues. Deans and faculty committees are responsible for management on a faculty level. Vice-chancellor and deans are elected for a 4-year period whereas faculty committees are elected for a 2-year period. The Johannes Kepler University has four faculties with

19650-447: The work of Robert Boyle , the discoverer of gases , and Antoine Lavoisier , who developed the theory of the conservation of mass . The discovery of the chemical elements and atomic theory began to systematize this science, and researchers developed a fundamental understanding of states of matter , ions , chemical bonds and chemical reactions . The success of this science led to a complementary chemical industry that now plays

19800-457: The world floated on water and that water was the fundamental element in nature. In the 5th century BC, Leucippus was an early exponent of atomism , the idea that the world is made up of fundamental indivisible particles. Pythagoras applied Greek innovations in mathematics to astronomy and suggested that the earth was spherical . Later Socratic and Platonic thought focused on ethics, morals, and art and did not attempt an investigation of

19950-482: Was a German astronomer , mathematician , astrologer , natural philosopher and writer on music. He is a key figure in the 17th-century Scientific Revolution , best known for his laws of planetary motion , and his books Astronomia nova , Harmonice Mundi , and Epitome Astronomiae Copernicanae , influencing among others Isaac Newton , providing one of the foundations for his theory of universal gravitation . The variety and impact of his work made Kepler one of

20100-457: Was a much happier marriage than his first. On 8 October 1630, Kepler set out for Regensburg, hoping to collect interest on work he had done previously. A few days after reaching Regensburg, Kepler became sick, and progressively became worse. On 15 November 1630, just over a month after his arrival, he died. He was buried in a Protestant churchyard in Regensburg that was completely destroyed during

20250-440: Was complex during this period; some early theologians, including Tatian and Eusebius , considered natural philosophy an outcropping of pagan Greek science and were suspicious of it. Although some later Christian philosophers, including Aquinas, came to see natural science as a means of interpreting scripture, this suspicion persisted until the 12th and 13th centuries. The Condemnation of 1277 , which forbade setting philosophy on

20400-554: Was convinced "that the geometrical things have provided the Creator with the model for decorating the whole world". In Harmonice Mundi (1619), he attempted to explain the proportions of the natural world—particularly the astronomical and astrological aspects—in terms of music. The central set of "harmonies" was the musica universalis or "music of the spheres", which had been studied by Pythagoras , Ptolemy and others before Kepler; in fact, soon after publishing Harmonice Mundi , Kepler

20550-455: Was correct that accepted timelines were four years behind, then the Star of Bethlehem —analogous to the present new star—would have coincided with the first great conjunction of the earlier 800-year cycle. Over the following years, Kepler attempted (unsuccessfully) to begin a collaboration with Italian astronomer Giovanni Antonio Magini , and dealt with chronology, especially the dating of events in

20700-408: Was embroiled in a priority dispute with Robert Fludd , who had recently published his own harmonic theory. Kepler began by exploring regular polygons and regular solids , including the figures that would come to be known as Kepler's solids . From there, he extended his harmonic analysis to music, meteorology, and astrology; harmony resulted from the tones made by the souls of heavenly bodies—and in

20850-486: Was established three years later and in 1975, the college was awarded university status and the Faculty of Law was integrated on campus. The university was named in honor of astronomer Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) who wrote his magnum opus harmonices mundi ("The Harmony of the world") in Linz during the early 17th century and taught mathematics at a school for the landed gentry ( Adelichen Landt-Schuelen ) near Linz. At present,

21000-422: Was excluded from Eucharist by his Lutheran church over his theological scruples. It was also during his time in Linz that Kepler had to deal with the accusation and ultimate verdict of witchcraft against his mother Katharina in the Protestant town of Leonberg . That blow, happening only a few years after Kepler's excommunication , is not seen as a coincidence but as a symptom of the full-fledged assault waged by

21150-627: Was introduced to astronomy at an early age and developed a strong passion for it that would span his entire life. At age six, he observed the Great Comet of 1577 , writing that he "was taken by [his] mother to a high place to look at it." In 1580, at age nine, he observed another astronomical event, a lunar eclipse , recording that he remembered being "called outdoors" to see it and that the Moon "appeared quite red". However, childhood smallpox left him with weak vision and crippled hands, limiting his ability in

21300-499: Was no longer practiced among professional astronomers. Sir Oliver Lodge observed that Kepler was somewhat disdainful of astrology in his own day, as he was "continually attacking and throwing sarcasm at astrology, but it was the only thing for which people would pay him, and on it after a fashion he lived." Nonetheless, Kepler spent a huge amount of time trying to restore astrology on a firmer philosophical footing, composing numerous astrological calendars, more than 800 nativities, and

21450-660: Was not allowed to simply copy the data for his own use). With the help of Johannes Jessenius , Kepler attempted to negotiate a more formal employment arrangement with Tycho, but negotiations broke down in an angry argument and Kepler left for Prague on 6 April. Kepler and Tycho soon reconciled and eventually reached an agreement on salary and living arrangements, and in June, Kepler returned home to Graz to collect his family. Political and religious difficulties in Graz dashed his hopes of returning immediately to Brahe; in hopes of continuing his astronomical studies, Kepler sought an appointment as

21600-410: Was not until the 19th century that biology became a unified science. Once scientists discovered commonalities between all living things, it was decided they were best studied as a whole. Some key developments in biology were the discovery of genetics , evolution through natural selection , the germ theory of disease , and the application of the techniques of chemistry and physics at the level of

21750-524: Was officially established in 1975. Before that time period, law degrees were offered by the SoWi faculty, which was then the Faculty of Social Sciences, Economics, Business and Law . In addition to Diploma and doctorate degrees in law, the RE faculty offers a Bachelor's degree in Business Law in cooperation with the SoWi faculty. Law degrees are also offered via multimedia distance learning. The abbreviation RE

21900-425: Was published in 1620, followed by the third volume, consisting of Books V–VII, in 1621. In the years following the completion of Astronomia Nova , most of Kepler's research was focused on preparations for the Rudolphine Tables and a comprehensive set of ephemerides (specific predictions of planet and star positions) based on the table, though neither would be completed for many years. Kepler, at last, completed

22050-548: Was seen by some detractors as heresy . By the 12th century, Western European scholars and philosophers came into contact with a body of knowledge of which they had previously been ignorant: a large corpus of works in Greek and Arabic that were preserved by Islamic scholars. Through translation into Latin, Western Europe was introduced to Aristotle and his natural philosophy. These works were taught at new universities in Paris and Oxford by

22200-420: Was the first published defense of the Copernican system. Kepler claimed to have had an epiphany on 19 July 1595, while teaching in Graz , demonstrating the periodic conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in the zodiac : he realized that regular polygons bound one inscribed and one circumscribed circle at definite ratios, which, he reasoned, might be the geometrical basis of the universe. After failing to find

22350-532: Was the first to question Aristotle's physics teaching. Unlike Aristotle, who based his physics on verbal argument, Philoponus instead relied on observation and argued for observation rather than resorting to a verbal argument. He introduced the theory of impetus . John Philoponus' criticism of Aristotelian principles of physics served as inspiration for Galileo Galilei during the Scientific Revolution . A revival in mathematics and science took place during

22500-435: Was triggered by earlier work of astronomers such as Kepler . By the 19th century, astronomy had developed into formal science, with the introduction of instruments such as the spectroscope and photography , along with much-improved telescopes and the creation of professional observatories. The distinctions between the natural science disciplines are not always sharp, and they share many cross-discipline fields. Physics plays

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