Chapter 12 Connection Task

Discussion questions

1) The Grand Duchess was the widow of the Grand Duke. The Grand Duke had appointed Galileo to a professorship of mathematics at the University of Paris in 1588. The Duchess had questions about the interpretations of the Bible by the church versus the scientific stance of Galileo. She hosted a dinner where she asked a monk about the church’s interpretation of the theory of geocentrism versus heliocentism. Consequently Galileo wrote a letter in 1615 to the Grand Duchess to support his application of the Copernican theory as not just a math calculating tool, but a physical reality. He wrote the letter to show the relationship between the Bible and the new science. His letter was suppressed by the church and not released until some time later. Galileo was warned by the pope the following year to abandon his ideas and he was eventually taken to trial by the church.

2) Galileo was the first to use the telescope but he didn’t create it. He took the original invention made by Augustine in 1608 from the Netherlands and increased its effectiveness by magnifying its ability. By doing this he was able to see many more parts of the universe. He then proposed the theory of heliocentric which is that the earth and the planets rotate around the sun. The popular theory before his proposal was geocentrism which is where the earth is the center and the sun rotates around it. There was a debate between the Roman Catholic Church and Galileo because the church supported the verses in the Bible about nature and its reference to heavenly bodies. The verses of Psalms 93:1 and 96:10, and 104:5, 1 Chronicles 16:30 and Ecclesiastes 1:5 talks about the motion of celestial bodies and the suspended position of the earth. He was warned to abandon his ideas of the sun being the center of the universe by the pope in 1616. He continued to support his findings and a trial for Galileo was scheduled in 1633 stating that he was on suspicion of heresy. At the trial there were three major findings. Galileo was guilty of heresy, continue imprisonment, and all of his dialogue and writings were banned. He was placed under house arrest from 1634 until his death in 1642. He also wrote a book of poetry and song and this was banned as well. Galileo’s critics were not silenced until 1718 when his writings were then supported and released.

3) Galileo stated in a letter he wrote to the Grand Duchess, “Who, then, would positively declare that this principle should be set aside and the Bible has confined itself rigorously to the bane and restricted sense of its words, when speaking but casually about the earth, of water, of the sun, or of any other creatured thing? Especially in the view of the fact that these things in no way concern the primary purpose of the sacred writings, which is the service of God and the salvation of souls-matters indefinitely beyond the comprehension of the common people” (Lualdi p 33). Galileo agreed that the Bible does mention the sun but the Bible was not intended for how things work but to save souls. He also states “That the intention of the Holy Ghost is to teach us how one goes to heaven, not how heaven goes” (Lualdi p 34). Galileo stated that the Bible is not a science book, but a book written by non-scientific men of verses and rhyme meant for guidance of mankind. Therefore his conclusion was that science really has nothing to do with the Bible.

4) The letter that Galileo wrote to the Grand Duchess clearly spells out his scientific theory versus the unfounded theories of the church related to the rotation of the heavenly bodies. Because of this letter original documentation from Galileo’s own hand is recorded in history to give all subsequent scientists that came after him proof of his theory.


I have always admired Galileo because of his discovery of the heliocentric model. Even though Galileo didn’t invent the telescope he did build his own version of the first three lens telescope that was able to look into the sky to see planets, stars and moons. Telescopes were invented in the 1600’s. Comparing our knowledge of today and technology it is so remarkable that Galileo was so smart and talented and inquisitive to calculate, observe and record his findings. I also admire him because he ‘stuck by his gun’ with his proposed theory. He took a lot of heat and flax for his theory. The irony I find in the whole story of Galileo is that HE WAS RIGHT. It goes to show that he was way ahead of his time and should give all of us pause when new discoveries and theories are proposed even today. We need to have open and inquisitive minds for the truth like Galileo, not narrow minded stereotypical viewpoints that close down possibilities. Many new discoveries are occurring everyday in our scientifically based community. I don’t fear the new discoveries, such as cloning, I just fear the way in which man uses his knowledge. This is not any different today as it was from the olden days. If man maintains a moral code with his discoveries than these new discoveries could possibly really benefit mankind. Before Galileo‘s discovery people thought that the Earth was inside a sphere and the stars were holes to let the heavens in. After Galileo’s time scientists started to build bigger and better telescopes. The bigger it is the more universes you can see. Galileo’s use of the telescope is a representation of the principle of growth for mankind being approached in a constructive manner.