Galileo Censorship And Absolute Power

Censorship and Absolute Power Dubbed him the “father of modern science,” Galileo left an impressive legacy in the physics, astronomy, cosmology, mathematics and philosophy. He championed the controversial theory of heliocentrism, a concept that opposed the Catholic church’s support of geocentrism and as a result he was charged with ‘heresy’ against the church. Galileo’s trial expresses the tension between religious doctrine and scientific discoveries during the Scientific Revolution, forcing us to consider the morality of political censorship and absolute power. Galileo challenged the power that the Catholic Church had to censor information that challenged their political authority or doctrinal judgement. The theocracy derived it’s political power from the religious faith of the governed. The masses trusted church leaders to interpret the bible and administer

The fairness of the trial was compromised because Church was both the judge and the accuser. At the time of his trial, Galileo did not have an unbiased jury to decide his fate. He was threatened with torture until he confessed and complied with the Church’s demand that he renounce his belief in heliocentrism. There was no third party that checked the power of the judicial system of the church. The church’s interest laid in trying to preserve their authority and not in administering unbiased justice. The trial makes us consider the kind of safeguards should be in place to keep the use of political power just and accountable. For hundreds of years, Galileo’s trial has caused people to consider the morality of political censorship and absolute power. An example of how censorship and absolute power can cause political problem injustices, Galileo’s trial acts as a cautionary tale. An addition to the list of his major contributions to the world, Galileo’s trial raised questions that influenced how our judicial system evolved to what it is