The Trial Of Galileo Essay Research Paper free essay sample

The Trial Of Galileo Essay, Research Paper The Trial of Galileo Copernicus # 8217 ; s De Revolutionibus of 1543 was dedicated to the Pope ; yet ninety old ages subsequently ( 1633 ) Galileo was tried by the Inquisition for adopting Copernican positions. How did this semen about? Prior to the publication of De Revolutionibus, astronomical theories proposed that the Earth was the Centre of the existence and all the planets revolved around the Earth. This was a position that was supported by both Aristotle and Ptolemy although Ptolemy # 8217 ; s work was based upon observations and scientific methods as opposed to Aristotle who was in consequence theorising based upon spiritual belief. I shall sketch the indispensable content of the De Revolutionibus and explicate why it took so long for the church to reprobate his book and so seek Galileo for unorthodoxy as a consequence of his back uping Copernican thoughts. Copernicus was analyzing and composing during the Renaissance and arguably the Scientific Revolution. We will write a custom essay sample on The Trial Of Galileo Essay Research Paper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The Renaissance was a clip of metempsychosis of old thoughts and a new manner of looking at things non merely in the countries of scientific discipline but throughout literature, humanistic disciplines and many other countries. It was a clip when new thoughts did non look to supply solutions to all the inquiries that were being asked. ( ) Copernicus proposed a new system of planetal gesture that had the Sun at the Centre of the existence instead than the Earth. However contrary to popular belief, this was non a new and radical thought. The ancients had proposed such a solution, most notably from Aristarchus who argued that it was more plausible for the Sun to be at the Centre instead than the Earth. However Copernicus makes no reference of Aristarchus in De Revolutionibus. Not long earlier Copernicus began composing, Cusa suggested this once more, and it is argued that this may be where Copernicus got early inspiration from, although this is non proven. ( ) It was in the remainder o f his authorship that Copernicus suggested thoughts that were considered to be radical. Harmonizing to the Copernican system non merely was the Earth go arounding around the Sun ; it was go arounding on its ain axis. This was subsequently to replace the thought that it was the stars that were go arounding. Copernicus proposed that the Earth revolved on its ain axis one time every twenty-four hours and orbited the Sun throughout the period of a twelvemonth. Copernicus hesitated in the publication of the book as he was afraid that it may be dissident, even though the book when it was finally published in 1543 was dedicated to Pope Paul the 3rd. At the clip of his authorship, Aristotelean natural philosophies were popular, and it was a hard undertaking to convert people that the celestial spheres were non perfect, but were the same as the Earth and that the Earth was invariably traveling. ( ) Many historiographers have argued that Copernicus initiated an astronomical revolution, which led to a whole new attack to looking at the celestial spheres. This revolution was taken up by Galileo towards the terminal of the 16th century. Galileo believed in the Copernican theory that the Sun was the Centre of the existence. It was this steadfast belief that finally led to his test for unorthodoxy. ( ) The chief inquiry is what happened in the old ages between the publication of De Revolutionibus and the publication of foremost Sidereus Nuncius ( 1610 ) and the Dialago [ Dialogue Refering the Two Chief World Systems ] ( 1632 ) I am foremost traveling to discourse some of Galileo # 8217 ; s chief astronomical finds and so highlight the alterations in the 17th century that led to the test of Galileo for unorthodoxy. Galileo admitted to Kepler every bit early as 1604 that he was a protagonist of Copernicans, but at this clip his field of survey was non astronomy. However Galileo remained soundless about this belief for a figure of old ages, likely to a great extent influenced by the executing of Giordano Bruno in 1600 for unorthodoxy. He was more interested in the survey of mechanics and gesture, and upon subverting the Aristotelean position of gesture. ( ) Galileo merely became interested in the field of Astronomy after hearing of the innovation of the telescope although he made one part to astronomy in 1604. He observed the phenomenon of the Nova or new star, which of class played an of import function in the death of the Aristotelean system. Harmonizing to Aristotle the celestial spheres or heavenly kingdom were perfect and unchanging. The fact that a new star appeared contradicted this wholly. Whilst utilizing the telescope, Galileo made a figure of other finds that posed a direct contradicti on to the Aristotelean system. First he argued that the Moon had mountains and craters, as there were fluctuations in light and dark on the surface of the Moon. As Galileo is quoted as stating, # 8221 ; the Moon? ? is non unlike the face if the earth. # 8221 ; This of class contradicted the Aristotelean thought that the celestial spheres were perfect. Second he observed that the Sun had musca volitanss ( a phenomenon besides observed by Scheiner and Fabricius ) which led to the statement between whether or non the Sun was mutable or whether these musca volitanss were really as a consequence of the planets revolving around the Sun. Whichever statement was to be believed, it contradicted old ways of thought. Third, one of Galileo # 8217 ; s most of import finds was that of the Moons of Jupiter. Galileo had observed that there were Moons around the planet of Jupiter and that they were revolving as their agreement differed over clip. Galileo saw this as a illumination theoretical acc ount of the Copernican system of the existence and it of class proved that non all organic structures in the solar system revolved around the Earth. Galileo besides observed that the planet Venus had different stages similar to that of the earth’s Moon and hence Galileo concluded that it must revolve the Sun. ( ) I shall now turn to the inquiry of what led to the test of Galileo. The Vatican had a repute for censoring texts if they were in dissension with church Bibles, although the job was non serious due to high degrees of illiteracy within the church. However in the sixteenth and 17th centuries the church became harsher. This was as a consequence of the reformation and the counter- reformation. This involved the Protestant church interrupting off from Catholicism and the Catholic Church trying to harness the Protestants back in. Another factor was the coming of publishing imperativenesss, which were being utilized by the Protestant motion and hence the Catholic church felt the demand to take a more defensive place and prohibition certain books. ( ) It was about 1542 when the Catholic church began to take a harsher stance on written stuff. It was at this clip that Bernardino Ochino, a superior member of the Catholic church left Rome and turned to Protestantism which caused great of unrest b oth within the church and the general Catholic population. Pope Paul the 3rd feared that more people would get down to turn to Protestantism so began censoring books from Italy which he felt where damaging to the Catholic faith. The powers of the Roman Congregation of the Index and they were increased to guarantee heavy printing limitations. ( ) With respect to Galileo, the events that led to his citing before the Inquisition happened over a long period of clip. In the 17th century a scientific discipline professor informed the Medici household ( Galileo # 8217 ; s employers ) that the impression of the Earth traveling was contrary to church Bible and hence dissident. Galileo responded to this with the circulation of a booklet titled # 8220 ; Letterss to Castelli # 8221 ; in which he expressed his sentiment on the relationship between the church and scientific discipline. In December of 1614 a Florentine Dominican denounced Galilean thought and posted a ailment with the Inquisition in Rome. In 1616 Copernican books were argued to be dissident and were subjected to heavy censoring by the Roman Congregation of the Index of out books. The consequence was Galileo being issued with a warning from Cardinal Robert Bellamine to stop his belief that the Earth moved. Bellamine had earlier warned Galileo non to talk of Copernicanism as anything other than a method for computation, i.e. conjectural. After this opinion Galileo remained soundless about his Copernican beliefs for a figure of old ages. It was merely in 1624 when Galileo wanted to compose his book # 8216 ; Dialogue on the tides # 8217 ; harmonizing to the Copernican and Ptolemaic systems of the existence did he collide with the church. The book was granted a licence in 1630 but the rubric was altered to the Dialago [ Dialogue Refering the Two Chief World Systems. ] As a consequence of a pestilence epidemic the book was published in Florence in 1632. Despite holding been granted a licence and keeping the belief that Pope Urban the 3rd would let him to talk out, Galileo was called to test for unorthodoxy. Although Galileo had made some effort at following with the opinion of 1616, it was clear that he had written a pro-Copernican book, discoursing the thoughts every bit likely as distinguishable from conjectural. He had besides increased the ill wil l of the state of affairs by printing the book in Italian so the general populace could read it. Galileo was forced to abdicate Copernican beliefs and was sentenced to life imprisonment ( subsequently reduced to house apprehension. ) The Dialogue was placed on the list of prohibited books and Galileo # 8217 ; s opinion and sentence was read out loud at every university in Italy. ( ) The remark of the Inquisition made the place of the church really clear ; # 8220 ; The proposition that the Sun is in the centre of the universe and immoveable from its topographic point is absurd, philosophically false, and officially dissident ; because it is expressly contrary to Holy Scriptures. The proposition that the Earth is non the centre of the universe, nor immoveable, but that it moves, and besides with a diurnal action, is besides absurd, philosophically false, and, theologically considered, at least erroneous in faith. # 8221 ; ( ) In decision, the chief alteration in the 90 old ages that led to Galileo # 8217 ; s test for unorthodoxy was the increased force per unit area on the Catholic Church caused by the Protestant church # 8217 ; s divide off. Another factor was the fact that Galileo treated Copernicanism as a credible theory as opposed to a hypothesis which could be used for computations and provided converting grounds to endorse up his claims. Yet despite Galileo abdicating his Copernican beliefs publicly, it is said that whilst on his articulatio genuss before the Inquisition he muttered # 8220 ; Eppur si muove # 8221 ; translated as # 8220 ; and yet it moves. ( ) Michael J.Crowe ( 1990 ) , Theories of the World from Antiquity to the Copernican Revolution, Dover Publications LTD, P.Halsall ( 1996 ) hypertext transfer protocol: //www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1630galileo.html [ 7.12.98, 12.30 ] Thomas S.Kuhn ( 1957 ) , The Copernican Revolution, Harvard University Press Microsoft? Encarta? 98 Encyclopedia? 1993-1997, Microsoft Corporation F.Wilson ( 1996 ) hypertext transfer protocol: //www.rit.edu/~flwstv/copernicus.html [ 15.12.1998, 11.15 ] F.Wilson ( 1996 ) hypertext transfer protocol: //www.rit.edu~flwstv/galileo.html [ 7.12.98, 12.40 ] hypertext transfer protocol: //es.nce.edu/ES/humsoc/Galileo/student_work/trial/index.html [ 5.12.98, 12.30 ]