-
I. Galileo
- a. Taught Math and Pisa and Padua
- b. First European to make systematic observations of the heavens using a telescope à new age of astronomy
-
I. Galileo
Awareness
- i. Aware of a Flemish lens grinder who created a spyglass that magnified distant objects and made his own
- 1. Turned telescope to skins and discovered mountains and craters on the moon, four moons of Jupiter, the phases of Venus, and sunspots
- a. Observations demolished idea that universe composed of material substance similar to earth rather than perfect and unchanging substance
-
I. Galileo
Revelations
- a. Revelations published in The Starry Messenger in 1610à contemporaries stunned and Europeans more aware of universe than with Kepler and Copernicus
- b. Scholars regarded him as conquering hero
- i. Duke Cosimo II of Florence wanted him as court mathematician= accepted
- c. Still suspect by Catholic church
-
I. Galileo
The Inquisition
- a. The Inquisition
- i. In The Starry Messenger, Galileo supported Copernicus’ heliocentric system
- 1. The Roman Inquisition (or Holy Office) of the Catholic Church condemned Copernicanism and wanted Galileo to reject it
- a. He still could discuss it as long as he maintained that it was not a fact but a mathematical supposition
-
I. Galileo
Church attacks
- i. The church attacked the Copernican system because it threatened both Scripture and conception of universe
- 1. Heavens no longer spiritual world but world of matter
- 2. Humans not at center; God not in specific place
- New system raised uncertainties= condemned
-
I. Galileo
No acceptance
- i. Galileo never accepted condemnation
- 1. 1632: Dialogue on the Two Chief World Systems: Ptolemaic and Copernican
- a. In Italian rather than Latin= more available to public
- b. Dialogue among Simplicio, a stupid supporter of Aristotle, Sagredo (layman), and Salviati (proponent of Copernicus)
- No winner, but viewed as defense of Copernicus
-
I. Galileo
Dragged into inquisition
1. Dragged into Inquisition, found guilty of teaching it, and forced to recant his errorsà house arrestà 8 years studying mechanics
-
I. Galileo
Problem of Motion
Mechanics
- a. Problem of Motion
- i. Mechanicsà principle of motion
- 1. Aristotle: object at rest unless a force applied against it
- a. If force constantly exerted, object moved at constant rate, but, if removed, object stops
- i. Conception= difficulties with projectile thrown out of cannon
- 1. Late medieval theorists solved problem by arguing that rush of air behind projectile kept it in motion
-
I. Galileo
Problem of Motion--> Mechanics--> Another Problem
- i. Also raised problem in new Copernican system
- 1. Ptolemaic system said concentric spheres surrounding earth were weightless
- 2. Copernicus said if a constant force had to be applied to objects to cause movement, then what power or force kept the heavy earth and other planets in motion
- a. Galileo solved problem
-
I. Galileo
His Contributions
- 1. Galileo’s contributions
- a. Demonstrated by experiments that if a uniform force was applied to an object, it would move at an accelerated speed rather than a constant speed
- b. Principle of inertia discovered when he argued that a body in motion continues in motion forever unless deflected by an external force
- i. State of uniform motion is just as natural as a state of rest
- c. Before him, natural philosophers tried to explain motion, but needed to explain changes in motion
-
I. Galileo
Condemnation
a. Condemnation of Galileo by Inquisition, during economic decline, undermined further scientific work in Italy, which had been the forefront of scientific innovation
-
I. Galileo
Leadership
- i. Leadership in scienceà England, France, and Dutch Netherlands
- 1. 1630s-1640s: no reasonable astronomer could overlook Galileo’s discoveries, as well as Kepler’s mathematical laws
-
I. Galileo
Made nonsense
- a. Made nonsense of Ptolemaic-Aristotelian world system and established the reasonableness of the Copernican model
- i. Problem of explaining motion in the universe and tying together the ideas of Copernicus, Galileo, and Kepler weren’t solved, but would be with Newton
|
|
