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The Paradox of Olbers' Paradox: A Case History of Scientific Thought

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Olbers' paradox is the puzzle of the darkness of the night sky, which should be ablaze at every point if the universe were infinite and filled everywhere with stars. Ever since the German astronomer Wilhelm Olbers reformulated the puzzle in 1823, he and many after him tried to save the presumed infinity of the universe. They did so for pseudometaphysical reasons: an infinite universe could readily pass for the ultimate entity and serve thereby as a substitute God. In the process science suffered. This is the paradox of the paradox, or the paradox of the scientific mind in the presence of a more than scientific puzzle.

"Professor Jaki has considered with great care the origins, history, and significance of this question and his scholarly, but interesting and readable work will be the definitive historical statement for years to come."--R. H. Dicke, Princeton University

"This fascinating monograph is the first to explore the whole history of Olbers' paradox and the assumptions involved in it. ... Professor Jaki's book will be of as much interest to the educated public eager to have an insight into the often strange workings of the scientific mind as it will be to professional astronomers and historians of science."--Michael A. Hoskin, Cambridge University

"A mageisterial work of rare erudition..."--Revue de Synthese