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Submitted by arisu_loves on May 1, 2009
“Although he seriously considered the priesthood as a young man, he enrolled for a medical degree at the University of Pisa at his father’s urging. He did not complete this degree, but instead mathematics…” (“Galileo” Par. 4). Galileo’s father, Vincenzo Galilei, wanted Galileo to fallow in his footsteps, but Galileo sought out to do more than preach.
Hearing of the first telescope, made in Holland, Galileo was eager to make one of his own. Galileo was successful and it was better than the original; Galileo took full credit for the invention soon after. Also, Galileo was said to have dropped balls of different mass off the Leaning Tower of Pisa, contradicting Aristotle’s theory of heavier objects fall faster compared to lighter ones. Galilei showed that the time of their departure was independent from their mass, excluding the limited effect of air resistance (“Galileo” Par. 28). “Such was the scientific mind of Europe when Galileo burst on the scene in 1610 with his startling telescope discoveries” (Johnston “Galileo’s Telescope” Par.1)
Later in his scientific career, Galileo began to consider Cardinal Bellarmine’s theory of a motionless Earth and set out to prove the theory false. “The story goes that he [Galileo] came to this conclusion by watching the swings of the bronze chandelier in the Cathedral of Pisa, using his pulse to time it” (“Galileo” Par.30). Using the chandelier and his pulse he was able to show the Earth’s movement the same way if you were to hang a pendulum in the middle of a balanced room, proving the movement of the Earth with each swing.
After, Galileo came out with his theory that the Earth was not the center of the universe. He proved- despite what the bible says- the Earth and everything around the Earth revolved around the Sun. He confronted the Catholic Church and defended Augustine- who stated “not to take every passage literally, particularly when the scripture in question is a book of...
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"Galileo Galilei". Anti Essays. 21 Nov. 2009
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