Essay about The Life and Work of Galileo - 1360 Words

The Life and Work of Galileo Galileo Galilei is considered to be one of the greatest mathematicians of all time. He made life changing discoveries and mystified many with his knowledge. However, not all of his work was accepted well. Galileo challenged the church creating a controversy that will never be forgotten. Galileo Galilei was born in Pisa, Italy February 18, 1564. He was the son of Vincenzo Galilei, a member of a Nobel family, a musician and a mathematician. Galileo, at an early age, developed a great love for mathematics and mechanics. However, his parents urged him to seek medical professions which promised more fortune. Galileo’s love for mathematics turned him away from his parents wishes only to follow his natural†¦show more content†¦His laws of free-fall were then established and have remained the same ever since. He also wrote the laws of projectiles and formulated what would eventually become Newton’s laws. Not only that, but Galileo also discovered the principles of flotation and invented a thermoscope. However, the thermoscope was defective. Galileo’s discoveries of astronomy, for which he is mostly known, resulted from his invention of the telescope. He considered the laws of refraction, he built a telescope that made it possible to see objects at three times their size. Within one night he improved it to be able to see objects to thirty-two times their size. As a result of these discoveries, he began his research of the heavens. His first discovery showed that the moon was not a smooth sphere as was commonly believed, but contained hills and valleys much like the earth. He also discovered the satellites of Jupiter which displayed characteristics much like those of our own solar system. However, in contradiction to popular Copernican belief that Mercury and Venus were transparent and did not block the sun’s rays, Galileo found that they, too, were much like our own planet with phases like the moon. Finally, he also discovered sunspots. Galileo’s support of Copernican theory as truth raised much controversy with ecclesiastical authorities. The direct services which Galileo rendered to astronomy are virtually summed up in hisShow MoreRelatedThe Life and Work of John Calvin and Galileo Galilei Essay1156 Words   |  5 PagesJohn Calvin was born July 10th, 1509, in Noyon, Picardy. He was raised up in a staunch Roman Catholic family. Early in his life, Calvin’s father was employed by the local bishop as an administrator at the town’s cathedral. With this newly acquired job, John Calvin’s father wanted Calvin to be a priest. 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Though his most notable discoveries were in the field of astronomy, we cannot label him simply as an astronomer. He authored many important works including, Sidereal Messenger (also known as Starry Messenger), but unfortunately, due to the power of the Catholic church in his native Italy, his work in astronomy was widely rejected byRead More Galileo Galilei Essay995 Words   |  4 PagesGalileo Galilei Galileo was born in Pisa along the Via del Cuore in 1564 to Vincenzo Galileo, a man known for his study of music, and Giuli Ammananti. When Galileo was ten he moved to Florance.1 At eleven young Galileo was sent to Vallombrosa for school. At fifteen Galileo decided to be a monk, but because of his father gave up his ambition. In the late summer of 1581 Galileo entered the University of Pisa and embarked on a course of study in medicine. 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Bertolt Brecht, author of The Life of Galileo, effectively uses the developing character Galileo Galilei to portray a strong message; a message which five hundred years after the fact has still not been completely comprehended. Through Galileos continuous battle with the Church in prevailing his work, Brecht is telling the readers that in any one