(855) 4-ESSAYS

Type a new keyword(s) and press Enter to search

Galileo Galilei


Galileo enrolled in the University of Pisa to pursue his medical degree.
             In 1582, Ostilio Ricci, who was the mathematician of the Tuscan Court and a former pupil of Tartaglia, taught a course on Euclid's "Elements" at the University of Pisa which Galileo attended. During the summer vacation, Galileo's father tried to convince Galileo to read certain medical books by prestigious authors. Galileo instead invited Ricci to his home to meet his father (in an attempt to convince his father to give Galileo permission to study mathematics, his true passion). Galileo's father reacted angrily, but eventually gave in. Galileo studied works of the mathematicians, Archimedes and Euclid, that were translated into Italian by Ricci. Galileo was still technically enrolled as a medical student, but in 1585, Galileo dropped out of school to pursue his own interests.
             Galileo went on to teach mathematics in Florence, Sienna, and eventually Vallombrosa, where he wrote his first scientific work, The Little Balance. The book described the science of using scales and balances to measure relative densities of substances. He proved some theorems on centers of balances in Rome, and really made an impact on many people there.
             In 1589, the chair of mathematics at the University of Pisa resigned and the position was offered to Galileo who readily accepted. The young mathematician already had a renowned reputation to be offered a position of such prestige, but there were higher things for Galileo to set his sights on. .
             Galileo's father died in 1591, and as Galileo was the eldest son, the responsibility of supporting his family (which included the providing of dowries for his two younger sisters) fell upon this young man's shoulders. His chair at the University of Pisa certainly did not pay high enough so, with excellent recommendations, applied and was appointed as a professor of mathematics at the University of Padua receiving a salary three times larger than that which he received in Pisa.


Essays Related to Galileo Galilei


Got a writing question? Ask our professional writer!
Submit My Question