A new perspective on Einstein's philosophy of cosmology

It has recently been discovered that Einstein once attempted - and subsequently abandoned - a 'steady-state' model of the universe, i.e., a cosmic model in which the expanding universe remains essentially unchanged due to a continuous creation of matter from empty space. The discovery offers several new insights into Einstein's cosmology, from his view of the role of the cosmological constant to his attitude to the question of cosmic origins. More generally, Einstein's exploration of steady-state cosmology casts new light on his philosophical journey from a static, bounded cosmology to the dynamic, evolving universe, and is indicative of a pragmatic, empiricist approach to cosmology