Scientific Achievements of Galileo Galilei

Scientific Achievements of Galileo Galilei

From an early age Galileo Galilei manifested his aptitude for mathematical and mechanical pursuits, but his parents, wishing to turn him aside from studies that promised no substantial return, destined him for the medical profession. But all was in vain, and at an early age the youth had to be left to follow the bent of his native genius, which speedily placed him among the most renowned natural philosophers. Galileo's great achievements are magnified by the fact that, happily combining experiment with calculation, he opposed the prevailing system. This system did not encourage going directly to nature for investigation of her laws and processes, instead it was held that these were best learned from authorities, especially that of Aristotle who was supposed to have spoken the last word upon all such matters. Against such a superstition Galileo resolutely and vehemently set himself. He not only soon discredited many beliefs that had been accepted as indisputable, but aroused a storm of opposition and indignation amongst those whose opinions he discredited. Galileo was a fierce controversialist, who, not content with refuting adversaries, was bent upon confounding them. Moreover, he wielded an exceedingly able pen, and unsparingly ridiculed and exasperated his opponents. Undoubtedly he thus did much to bring upon himself the troubles for which he is now chiefly remembered.

Galileo is most widely remembered for his astronomical discoveries. In this connection, his greatest achievement was undoubtedly his virtual invention of the telescope. Hearing early in 1609 that a Dutc...

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...f heresy" to incarceration at the pleasure of the tribunal and to recite the Seven Penitential Psalms once a week for three years. Under the sentence of imprisonment Galileo remained till his death in 1642. At the end of his trial, as Galileo rose from his knees after renouncing the motion of the earth he said, "E pur si muove." (It does move.) This last assertion of this great astronomer serves as fitting epigraph of his discovery-filled life, and of the struggle for truth and science that pervaded the second half of his life.

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Works Cited

Cobb, Vicki. Truth or Trial: The Story of Galileo Galilei. New York: Coward, McCann, and Geoghegan, 1979.

MacLachlan, James. Galileo Galilei: First Physicist. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997.

Sharatt, Michael. Galileo: Decisive Innovator. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990.