I cannot recall its origin but there is an old adage that says one's way of thinking and speculating depends on his/her perspective. There is no need argue about its validity for I am sure everyone would agree from their own experience. With the adage said above, I would like to propose a theory that there was a great gap between Galileo's way of thinking and those of others (like the priests at Vatican and people who worshiped the Aristotelian philosophies) for the difference in their perspective was far greater than anyone can imagine. It is no exaggeration to state that no one has spent as much time looking up the night sky as Galileo in his time. Everyone who has looked up the constellation in the night sky without an aid of any instrument would see that the full moon appears perfectly round. And given that those people have not been taught about the modern astronomy, it would be difficult to convince them that it is otherwise. One can only wonder how difficult it mu!.
st have been for Galileo and his colleagues to convince their opposers. As obviously as it may sound, Galileo's sole purpose of using detailed illustrations and diagrams within his Starry Messenger was to convince its readers; and an attempt to prevent any possible refutations as much as possible. The illustrations and diagrams were his hard-earned evidence that is also backed up by his countless observations and written documents. .
In "The Scientific Revolution,"" Shapin discusses about "the natural machine,"" and quotes several mathematicians and scientists. For the sake of an impending argument, the French mathematician and philosopher René Descartes announced that "there is no difference between the machines built by artisans and the diverse bodies that nature alone composes."" (Shapin 32).
When I reached the last page of the Starry Messenger and felt relieved, I came across a sentence that struck me.
Account of a Heretic: Galileo Galilei Thomas Aquinas defined heresy as, "a species of infidelity in men who, having professed the faith of Christ, corrupt its dogmas". The Catholic Church of the Middle Ages and Renaissance expanded on this definition and established specific attributes of heresy...
Galileo was a devoted Catholic, a gifted astronomer, philosopher and inventor. He was also a non-conformist, who was tried and convicted for crimes against the Catholic Church. From one extreme to the other, Galileo made a mark on science and the human race. He earned a place in history that will no...
Galileo Galilei was born to Vincenzio Galilei and Giulia Ammannati on February 15, 1564 in the town of Pisa in Italy. He was the oldest of seven children about most of whom all record is lost. His first teacher was a man by the name of Jacopo Borghini. Around 1575 he and his family moved to Flo...
The first thing he saw was that the moon was mountainous and pitted, much like earth, and in 1610 he discovered four moons circling Jupiter which he published as Starry Messenger. ... Galileo saw his discovery of the four moons as his best chance and so he sent Starry Messenger, his finest telescope, and a personal plea to the Medici family. ...
Have you ever gazed at the night sky, marveling at its vast, wondrous, infinite beauty? Have you ever watched a "falling star" blaze across the sky and made a wish? Have you ever studied the planets in school or looked at them through a telescope? Many people take the night sky for granted; one ...
"Galileo was that guy who invented the telescope." This is what most people say when they think about Galileo. However, Galileo did not even invent the telescope; he only made improvements to it so it could be used for astronomy. Galileo did use it to make many important discoveries about astro...
The numerous astronomical discoveries made by Galileo with the aid of his telescopes were described in a short book called Message from the stars or Starry Messenger (Sidereus Nuncius) published in Venice in May 1610. ...
Mathematicians of the 1600's The 1600's was a period of expansive intellectual growth in Western civilization which began during the Renaissance era. The transformation of society during the Renaissance led man to challenge archaic ideas. Changes were seen politically, economically, and socially...
Summary Until Galileo's time science was a handmaiden of philosophy which in turn was the handmaiden of theology. Galileo according to Drake wished to free science from this bondage as the historical obstacle to its utility and progress. As Drake explains " the silencing and punishment of Galileo toward the end of a life devoted to scientific inquiry was an event of profound significance for our cultural history" (pg. iii). Drake's biography on Galileo meanders its way from the very beginning of Galileo's life and work right to the bitter end. Drake embodies a simple and pleasi...