Contents

Preface,

vii

Introduction,

1

I.

The Sky and the Heavens,

5

NICHOLAS OF CUSA AND MARCELLUS PALIGENIUS

II.

The New Astronomy and the New Metaphysics,

28

N. COPERNICUS, TH. DIGGES, G. BRUNO AND W. GILBERT

III.

The New Astronomy against the New Metaphysics,

58

JOHANNES KEPLER'S REJECTION OF INFINITY

IV.

Things Never Seen Before and Thoughts Never Thought: the Discovery of New Stars in the World Space and the Materialization of Space,

88

GALILEO AND DESCARTES

V.

Indefinite Extension or Infinite Space,

110

DESCARTES AND HENRY MORE

VI.

God and Space, Spirit and Matter,

125

HENRY MORE

VII.

Absolute Space, Absolute Time and Their Relations to God,

155

MALEBRANCHE, NEWTON AND BENTLEY

VIII.

The Divinization of Space,

190

JOSEPH RAPHSON

IX.

God and the World: Space, Matter, Ether and Spirit,

206

ISAAC NEWTON

p. xii

X.

Absolute Space and Absolute Time: God's Frame of Action,

221

BERKELEY AND NEWTON

XI.

The Work-Day God and the God of the Sabbath,

235

NEWTON AND LEIBNIZ

XII.

Conclusion:

The Divine Artifex and the Dieu Fainéant,

273

Notes,

277

Index,

305