Next week’s reading is the book “Galileo in Rome” by Shea and Artigas. Below, please find a list of important names and questions to consider while you read.
Important names:
- Aristotle
- Claudius Ptolemy
- Nicolas Copernic
- Galileo Galilei
- Cosimo de Medici II
- Fra Paoli Sarpi
- Cardinal Robert Bellarmine
- Benedetto Castelli
- Grand Duchess Christina
- Christopher Clavius
- Pope Urban VIII (Maffeo Barberini)
- Francesco Barberini
- Niccolo Riccardi
- Ferdinand de Medici II
Questions to Consider:
- What was Galileo’s scientific work? Was he alone in this work?
- What was there in this scientific work that incited opposition on religious, ideological, or political grounds?
- Were the opponents of Galileo’s work united and consistent in their criticism? Who were they and what motivated them?
- Could Galileo have continued to pursue his scientific work without causing himself political difficulty?
- Was the outcome of the clash between Galileo and the Church an inevitable outcome?
- What were the implications of this history for scientific knowledge and research at the time? for the Roman Catholic Church? for the Italian states and their citizens?
Enjoy the book!
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