Philosophy
400 years ago today, Galileo Galilei introduced his first telescope to the world. The discoveries Galileo would make with this rather simple instrument, as well as the application of mathematical descriptions of his observations, would revolutionize our understanding of the universe and our place within it, and would mark him not only as a great mathematician and philosopher, but as one of the founding fathers of modern science.
Galileo's discoveries, as well as his passion for truth and demonstration over authority and dogma (a skill he learned from his father), placed him in a dangerous tension with the Church, which eventually convicted him to house-imprisonment for life. Science and religion have never quite been able to reconcile since, and for the past four centuries, science has consistently continued to undermine not only religious beliefs but the fundamental epistemic assumptions behind its method of faith (if you can call that a method).
Although a Christian himself, Galileo is famous for asserting a conviction that resonates with great significance even today:
It only took the Vatican four centuries to 'pardon' Galileo... for being right :)
.
- Doing Science...giovanni Battista Riccioli Does It Right
The Italian astronomer Giovanni Battista Riccioli is commonly credited with performing the first precise experiments to determine the acceleration of a freely falling body. Riccioli has been discussed by historians of science, sometimes positively but...
- Vincenzo Viviani...secretary To Galileo And The Viviani Theorem
Vincenzo Viviani April 5th, 1622 to September 22nd, 1703 Can't let the day fade without the mention of Vincenzo Viviani born on this date in 1622. Bill Ashworth in the Linda Hall Library Newsletter wrote... When just a lad of 16, Viviani so impressed...
- Macabre...galileo's Lost Tooth And Fingers
Maybe not as macabre as you think. Remember Einstein's brain . "Art collector finds Galileo's lost tooth, fingers" November 20th, 2009 Reuters An art collector has found a tooth, thumb and finger of the renowned Italian scientist Galileo Galilei...
- "sidereus Nuncius"--published March 13th, 1610
The Stephen Hawking of the 17th Century. Title page of Galileo's Sidereus Nuncius, published in Venice in 1610. The book instantly made Galileo a European celebrity, and earned him, in July 1610, the position of chief mathematician and philosopher...
- Galileo Galilei...revolutionary
Galileo Galilei 1564-1642 Bye, bye Ptolemy...the great Galileo Galilei. The Galileo Project...
Philosophy
Galileo's Battle for the Heavens
400 years ago today, Galileo Galilei introduced his first telescope to the world. The discoveries Galileo would make with this rather simple instrument, as well as the application of mathematical descriptions of his observations, would revolutionize our understanding of the universe and our place within it, and would mark him not only as a great mathematician and philosopher, but as one of the founding fathers of modern science.Galileo's discoveries, as well as his passion for truth and demonstration over authority and dogma (a skill he learned from his father), placed him in a dangerous tension with the Church, which eventually convicted him to house-imprisonment for life. Science and religion have never quite been able to reconcile since, and for the past four centuries, science has consistently continued to undermine not only religious beliefs but the fundamental epistemic assumptions behind its method of faith (if you can call that a method).
Although a Christian himself, Galileo is famous for asserting a conviction that resonates with great significance even today:
I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason and intellect has intended us to forgo its use.
This is his story:
It only took the Vatican four centuries to 'pardon' Galileo... for being right :)
.
- Doing Science...giovanni Battista Riccioli Does It Right
The Italian astronomer Giovanni Battista Riccioli is commonly credited with performing the first precise experiments to determine the acceleration of a freely falling body. Riccioli has been discussed by historians of science, sometimes positively but...
- Vincenzo Viviani...secretary To Galileo And The Viviani Theorem
Vincenzo Viviani April 5th, 1622 to September 22nd, 1703 Can't let the day fade without the mention of Vincenzo Viviani born on this date in 1622. Bill Ashworth in the Linda Hall Library Newsletter wrote... When just a lad of 16, Viviani so impressed...
- Macabre...galileo's Lost Tooth And Fingers
Maybe not as macabre as you think. Remember Einstein's brain . "Art collector finds Galileo's lost tooth, fingers" November 20th, 2009 Reuters An art collector has found a tooth, thumb and finger of the renowned Italian scientist Galileo Galilei...
- "sidereus Nuncius"--published March 13th, 1610
The Stephen Hawking of the 17th Century. Title page of Galileo's Sidereus Nuncius, published in Venice in 1610. The book instantly made Galileo a European celebrity, and earned him, in July 1610, the position of chief mathematician and philosopher...
- Galileo Galilei...revolutionary
Galileo Galilei 1564-1642 Bye, bye Ptolemy...the great Galileo Galilei. The Galileo Project...