Galileo Galilei Criticism
Galileo Galilei, born in Pisa in 1564, is celebrated as one of the Renaissance's most significant scientific minds. His pioneering work in astronomy, mathematics, physics, and philosophy challenged long-standing Aristotelian and Ptolemaic views, notably through his support for the heliocentric model of the universe. Galileo's improvements to the telescope and his observations, published in works like Sidereus Nuncius and the Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems, revolutionized scientific thought, though they also placed him in conflict with the Catholic Church, leading to his condemnation by the Inquisition and house arrest for the last years of his life.
Galileo's career was marked by his transition from medical studies to mathematics, eventually holding positions at the Universities of Pisa and Padua. He became embroiled in debates against Aristotelian immutability of the heavens, particularly after witnessing a supernova in 1604. His writings, such as the Sunspot Letters, used vernacular instead of the scholarly Latin, thereby making his ideas about the Copernican system accessible to the general educated populace, a move that increased his popularity but also his notoriety.
The Dialogue, ostensibly a balanced discussion of the Copernican and Ptolemaic systems, was a pivotal work that led to his trial. Despite the Pope's initial support, political pressures during the Counter-Reformation, as noted by Maurice Finocchiaro and William R. Shea, saw Galileo become a scapegoat in the Church's internal power struggles. As observed by Albert Einstein, Galileo’s work was a passionate defiance against dogma imposed by authority.
Galileo's legacy is further examined by scholars like Jean Dietz Moss, who emphasized the rhetorical and theological nuances in his writings, particularly in his letter to the Grand Duchess Christina, a vital text illustrating the conflict between science and religion. Today, Galileo is recognized not only for his scientific innovations but also for his role in the historical tensions between emerging scientific inquiry and established religious doctrines.
Contents
- Principal Works
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Essays
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Galileo
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Ball gives a nineteenth-century perspective of Galileo's life and career, focusing in particular on letters from his daughter Sister Maria Celeste.
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Foreword to Galileo Galilei: "Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems—Ptolemaic & Copernican"
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In the following essay, originally published in 1953 and reprinted in 1967, Einstein expresses his admiration for Galileo's creativity and remarks that the theme of "Galileo's work is the passionate fight against any kind of dogma based on authority."
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Galileo in the Present
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In the following essay, first presented as a paper in 1964 and published in 1965, de Santillana argues that Galileo was the first to combine the study of science with the usefulness of technology, or 'technique,' in order to find out the 'how' of things in nature.
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The Effectiveness of Galileo's Work
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In the following excerpt, Drake asserts that Galileo was revolutionary for being the first to integrate the heretofore separate disciplines of mathematics, physics, and astronomy in scientific thought.
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Epilogue: 'The Greatness of Galileo Is Known to All'
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In the following essay, first presented as a speech in 1979 and reprinted in 1987, Pope John Paul II undertakes to reconcile the views of the Catholic Church with those of Galileo, arguing that Galileo was not in fact in opposition to the Church.
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Galileo's Letter to Christina: Some Rhetorical Considerations
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In the following essay, Moss argues that Galileo's letter to his patron's mother, the Grand Duchess of Tuscany, in which he defends his position on Copernicus would have been more likely to save him had it stayed within his own area of expertise—mathematics—rather than strayed into theology, the specialty of his accusers.
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Science and Patronage: Galileo and the Telescope
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In the following essay, Westfall argues that the heavy reliance upon and competition for patronage in the seventeenth century might have affected the truthfulness of some of the scientific conclusions and discoveries made by scientists of that period, including Galileo.
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Galileo: Physics and Astronomy
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In the following excerpt, Hummel outlines Galileo's early years, and describes the steps in Galileo's own particular scientific method.
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Galileo and the Church
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In the following essay, Shea details the theological, political, and scientific temper of the era and country in which Galileo lived, and argues that Galileo was more a victim of politics than of inflexible beliefs.
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Bellarmino, Galileo, and the Clash of Two World Views
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In the following essay, Westfall summarizes the backgrounds of Galileo and his adversary, Cardinal Bellarmino (also known as Bellarmine), and argues that their conflict regarding Galileo's officially heretical belief in a Copernican or heliocentric universe began as early as 1610 with the publication of Sidereus nuncius (The Starry Messenger).
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Introduction to The Galileo Affair: A Documentary History
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In the following excerpt, Finocchiaro describes Galileo's personality as it clashed with the tenor of the times, and explains Copernicus's heliocentric theory as well as its limitations, showing how, thanks to his improvements on the recently invented telescope, Galileo was able to eliminate most of those limitations.
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Daniel 5 and the Assayer: Galileo Reads the Handwriting on the Wall
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In the following essay, Reeves portrays Galileo's Assayer as a witty and rigorous linguistic attack against scientific ignorance and vanity.
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The Storm Breaks Loose: The Trial and Condemnation of Galileo
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In the following excerpt, Fantoli provides transcripts of Galileo's questioning by the Inquisition and his testimony concerning the publication of his Dialogue.
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Galileo
(summary)
- Further Reading