The Routledge guidebook to Galileo's Dialogue / Maurice A. Finocchiaro.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Finocchiaro, Maurice A., 1942-

Series:

Routledge guides to the great books

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Galilei, Galileo, 1564-1642. Dialogo dei massimi sistemi.

Galilei, Galileo.

Solar system.

Astronomy.

Dialogo dei massimi sistemi (Galilei, Galileo).

Physical Description:

xviii, 357 pages ; 21 cm.

Place of Publication:

Abingdon, Oxon : Routledge-Taylor and Francis, 2014.

Summary:

The publication in 1632 of Galileo's Dialogue on the Two Chief World Systems, Ptolemaic and Copernican marked a crucial moment in the scientific revolution and helped Galileo become the father of modern science. The Dialogue contains Galileo's mature synthesis of astronomy, physics, and methodology, and a critical confirmation of Copernicus's hypothesis of the earth's motion. However, the book also led Galileo to stand trial with the Inquisition, in what became known as the greatest scandal in Christendom. In The Routledge Guidebook to Galileo's Dialogue, Maurice A. Finocchiaro introduces and analyzes: The intellectual background and historical context of the Copernican controversy and Inquisition trial; The key arguments and critiques that Galileo presents on both sides of the "dialogue"; The Dialogue's content and significance from three special points of view: science, methodology, and rhetoric; The enduring legacy of the Dialogue and the ongoing application of its approach to other areas. This is an essential introduction for all students of science, philosophy, history, and religion wanting a useful guide to Galileo's great classic. Book jacket.

Contents:

Part I Preliminaries To Reading The Dialogue 1

1 General Relevance 3

2 Intellectual Background 11

2.1 Cosmology 12

2.2 Physics 19

2.3 Astronomy 22

3 Historical Context 31

3.1 Copernicus's Innovation 31

3.2 Copernican Controversy 34

3.3 Galileo's Pursuit of a Copernican Research Program 38

3.4 Theological Controversy and Condemnation of Copernicanism 41

3.5 Trial and Condemnation of Galileo 44

Part II Main Argument In The Dialogue 51

4 Day I: Similarity of Earth and Heaven 53

IA1 Perfection and three-dimensionality of the world (DML 9-15) 54

IA2 Aristotle's doctrine of two natural motions (DML 15-20) 55

IA3 A more coherent concept of natural motion (DML 20-36) 56

IA4 Geocentric argument from natural motion (DML 36-43) 59

IA5 Contrariety and change (DML 43-53) 63

IA6 Observation of heavenly changes (DML 53-66) 69

IA7 Teleology and anthropocentrism (DML 67-71) 73

IB1 Similarities between earth and moon (DML 71-82) 77

IB2 Roughness of the lunar surface (DML 82-100) 78

IB3 Moon's secondary light (DML 100-113) 82

IB4 Differences between earth and moon (DML 113-21) 86

5 Day II: Earth's Daily Axial Rotation 90

IIA Simplicity arguments for terrestrial rotation (DML 123-55) 90

IIB1 Geostatic argument from violent motion (DML 155-58) 95

IIB2 Two-motions argument (DML 158-61) 97

IIB3 Vertical fall (DML 161-64) 100

IIB4 Ship's mast experiment (DML 164-79) 105

IIB5 Conservation and composition of motion (DML 179-95) 109

IIB6 East-west gunshots (DML 195-98) 112

IIB7 Vertical gunshots (DML 198-206) 117

IIB8 North-south gunshots (DML 206-8) 121

IIB9 Point-blank gunshots (DML 208-12) 124

IIB10 Flight of birds (DML 212-18) 128

IIB11 Extruding power of whirling (DML 218-53) 130

IIC1 Falling to earth from the moon (DML 253-71) 139

IIC2 Inexplicability of terrestrial rotation (DML 271-86) 145

IIC3 Deception of the senses (DML 287-98) 149

IIC4 Multiple natural motions (DML 298-306) 153

IIC5 Luminosity and mobility (DML 307-19) 159

6 Day III: Earth's Annual Heliocentric Revolution 165

IIIA Evidence from the 1572 nova (DML 321-70) 165

IIIB1 Mars, Venus, and moon (DML 381-95) 167

IIIC1 Heliocentrism of planetary revolutions (DML 370-80) 173

IIIC2 Retrograde planetary motions (DML 396-400) 177

IIIC3 Paths of sunspots (DML 400-414) 181

IIIB2 Distances and sizes of stars (DML 414-32)

IIIB3 Apparent positions and magnitudes of stars (DML 432-61) 201

IIIB4 Magnets and multiple natural motions (DML 461-81) 209

7 Day IV: Geokinetic Explanation of Tides 215

IVA Clarification of project and criticism of alternatives (DML 483-92, 535-39) 215

IVB Explaining the diurnal period of tides (DML 492-506) 219

IVC Air movements and trade winds (DML 506-16) 227

IVD Monthly and annual periods of tides (DML 516-35) 232

Part III Special Aspects Of The Dialogue 241

8 Science: Robust Confirmation of Earth's Motion 243

8.1 Scientists' Judgments 243

8.2 Three-fold Scientific Achievement 245

8.3 Critical Examination and Interdisciplinary Synthesis 249

9 Methodology: Critical Reasoning and Balanced Judgment 259

9.1 Rationality and Critical Reasoning 259

9.2 Authority and Independent-mindedness 264

9.3 Sensory Observation and Theoretical Reason 268

9.4 Mathematical Truths and Physical Reality 274

10 Rhetoric: Persuasion and Eloquence 281

10.1 Three Senses of Rhetoric 282

10.2 "Mere" Rhetoric 285

10.3 Rhetoric of Anti-rhetoric 289

10.4 Eloquent Expression 291

10.5 Rhetorical Communication vs. Methodological Reflection 295

10.6 Persuasive Argumentation vs. Critical Reasoning 299

Part IV Conclusion 303

11 Historical Aftermath and Enduring Legacy 305

11.1 Historical Repercussions 305

11.2 From Copernicus to Darwin, Freud, and Beyond 310

11.3 Science vs. Religion? 311

11.4 Einstein and Scientific Method 314

11.5 Galilean Approach to the Galileo Affair 316.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780415503679

0415503671

9780415503686

041550368X

OCLC:

781675548

Publisher Number:

99954862003