Posted: June 30th, 2015

Describe Galileo’s mathematical-experimental method

Describe Galileo’s mathematical-experimental method

Describe Galileo’s mathematical-experimental method. Explain how he used it to formulate a new mathematical theory of motion and how this theory contributed to the acceptance of Copernican heliocentric theory. In particular, explain how Galileo’s theory disposes of the Aristotelian objections to the hypothesis of a moving Earth based on observations of free-falling bodies. Use Galileo’s discussion in his “Dialogue Concerning Two Chief World Systems” to support your analysis.

The readings for the paper are:

Galileo paper are documents I, II, V, VII and IX from The Galileo Affair (ed. Finocchiaro),

pp.1-114 from Thus Spoke Galileo by Frova and Marenzana,

Chapter 5 of Cohen: the birth of new physics ,

Early Greek Science-Lloyd