Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) Italian scientist/inventor/mathematician Univ of Padua

1. Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) • Italian scientist/inventor/mathematician • Univ of Padua • 1609 improved a better designed telescope that showed very clearly physical features of the earth, moon, Jupiter, Jupiter’s 4 inner moons • Mountains and craters • Spots on the sun • All of this defies the traditional religious view of the unchanging, unblemished universe. • Some colleagues of Galileo refused to look through his telescope—or made up answers.

2. 1616—Inquisition—recant his beliefs –promising to be neutral • Dialogues on the Two Chief Systems of the World 1632—heliocentric view, earth orbiting sun-- • Once again brought before Inquisition. He was compelled to recant in front of Inquisition panel in fear of torture-- • “E pur si muove” (It (earth) still moves)—he supposedly said upon departing for house arrest • He is known as being unswerving in his personal belief ina universe subject to mathematical law.

3. Sir Isaac Newton—1642-1727 English physicist/mathematician/professor at Cambridge Univ • Solved the remaining problem of planetary motion—work of synthesis — Principia Mathematica 1687— 15 years of research. • How do the planets move in orbit? • Law of Gravity—a single force maintains the planets in orbits—planets move through mutual attraction of gravity—every object affected every other object.

4. Solve the problems of the universe through rational and mathematical principles amazed many people. • Everything can be understood through the use of rationality and thought— • This brings on the Enlightenment in history– that all of humanity’s problems can be solved with rational thinking. • Does not resolve the issues of religion and faith vs scientific principles. That continues to this day.