From Sight to Light - The Passage from Ancient to Modern Optics

The science of optics shifted from explaining sight to light in the seventeenth century, with Johannes Kepler's theory of retinal imaging being instrumental in this shift. This study, "From Sight to Light," presents Kepler as marking a rupture with the optical tradition and argues that his theory of retinal imaging helped spur the shift in analytic focus that led to modern optics.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 480 pages
Publication date: 22 December 2017
Publisher: The University of Chicago Press

Optics, a field that originated in Greek antiquity, initially sought to explain vision and comprehend the underlying reasons behind the appearance of objects. However, by the end of the 17th century, the analytical emphasis of optics had shifted towards light itself. This transformative shift, often referred to as the Keplerian turn, played a pivotal role in this captivating and groundbreaking study.

In contrast to previous scholarship that regarded Johannes Kepler as the culmination of a long-evolving optical tradition that traced back to Greek antiquity through the Muslim Middle Ages, A. Mark Smith presents Kepler as a rupture with this tradition. Smith argues that Kepler's theory of retinal imaging, published in 1604, played a crucial role in prompting the shift from sight to light.

Kepler's innovative perspective on vision challenged the conventional understanding of the eye as an image-producing instrument. Instead, he viewed the eye as a light-focusing device. By treating the eye in this manner, Kepler's account of retinal imaging helped spur the shift in analytic focus that ultimately led to the development of modern optics.

Spanning a broad scope, "From Sight to Light" is poised to become the definitive reference for historians of optics, as well as those with an interest in the broader fields of science, art, and cultural and intellectual history. This comprehensive survey offers a deep exploration of the historical developments that shaped the understanding and application of light in the past.

Weight: 692g
Dimension: 152 x 229 x 29 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780226528571