Galileo Galilei Essay Research Paper Galileo Galilei15641642Galileo

Galileo Galilei Essay, Research Paper Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) Galileo Galilei was born near Pisa, Italy, on February 15, 1564 (Drake). Galileo was the first child of Vincezio Galiei, a merchant and a musician (Jaki 289). In 1574, Galileo?s family moved from Pisa to Florence, where Galileo started his formal education (Jaki 289).

Galileo Galilei Essay, Research Paper

Galileo Galilei



Going back to Florence, Galileo spent three unsuccessful years looking for a teaching position (Jaki 289). During this time Galileo was increasing his understanding of physics and mathematics. Also during this hard time Galileo wrote two discourses one about principles of balancing and the other about center of gravity of different solid objects (Jaki 289). These writings were circulated in manuscript form only, but they made Galileo well known in the scientific community. Galileo became renowned in 1588, when he gave a lecture at the Florentine Academy on the topography of Dante?s Inferno, where he showed his extensive knowledge on mathematics and geometry (Jaki 289).


In 1591, Galileo?s father died and he had the burden to take care of his mother, brothers, and sisters (Jaki 289). Looking for a better position to support his family, Galileo found one in the University of Padua, part of the Venetian Republic (Jaki 289). There according to him he spent the happiest eighteen-years of his life (Jaki 289). ?He often visited Venice and made many influential friend, among them Giovanfrancesco Sagredo, whom he later immortalized in the Dialogue as the representative of judiciousness and good sense? (Jaki 289).

In 1604, Galileo publicly declared that he was a believer of the famous astronomer Copernicus (Jaki 290). ?In three public lectures given in Venice, before an overflow audience, he argued that the new star which appeared earlier that year was major evidence in support of the doctrine of Copernicus. (Actually the new star merely proved that there was something seriously wrong with the Aristotelian doctrine of the heavens)? (Jaki 290). ?More important was the letter Galileo wrote that year to Father Paolo Sarpi, in which he stated that ?the distance covered in natural motion are proportional to the squares of time intervals, and there fore, the distances covered in equal time are as the odd numbers beginning from one? (Jaki 290). What he proposed was the law of free fall, later written as s = ? (gt2), where s is the distance, t is time, and g is the acceleration due to gravity at sea level (Jaki 290).



In 1616, as a result of proving Copernicus? theory the church got mad at Galileo and called him before the inquisition (Jaki 290). The inquisition pardoned Galileo because Galileo was a loyal Catholic who remained loyal throughout this entire ordeal. The Cardinal who help Galileo though the ordeal latter became Pope Urban VIII (Jaki 290).


In 1632, the Dialogue caused Galileo to be brought before inquisition for the second time because of his belief and teaching of Copernicus? doctrine (Jaki 291). This time the inquisition didn?t have the sympathy for Galileo as they had the last time. Falsely proving his theories were wrong, the inquisition forced him to revert what he said or not only he but also his family will be harmed. Submitting to the inquisition Galileo was let go. While leaving the room his said ?Eppursi muove (And yet it does move)? (Jaki 291).


Jaki, Stanley L. ?Galileo.? Encyclopedia of World Biography. 1973 ed.

Drake, Stillman. ?Galileo Galilei.? 1999 Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. Grolier Interactive Inc. 1998.

Evans, David S. ?Telescope, optical.? 1999 Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. Grolier Interactive Inc. 1998.