Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 3, 1966)
Officials in 15th Century Lose Battle with Galileo By JA<}1 THOMPSON F.mcrald Stall Writer Galileo may huve lost the battle of "Galileo vs. the Professors and Inquisition" during his lifetime, but in the long run the profes sors and the officials of the Catho lic church of the 15th Century turned out to be the real losers. This was the message Duane Holler, McC'laslaml professor of history of science at the Univer sity of Oklahoma expressed in his lecture Monday, Holler is a visit ing professor at the University this term under the auspices of the Honors College. Galileo spent most of the 70 some years of his life trying to convince the world that the Copcrnican theory that the world spun on an axis and moved around the sun was a physical reality. Unfortunately, Galileo could not prove this mathematically based theory, when Invited to do so by a church official. This didn't stop him from maintaining that "what is mathematically beautiful must also be true, even if it is con trary to observed facts." The Aristotelian world of Galileo's time believed oidy what it could j experience in terms of the senses. As far as the scholars of the day were concerned the observed facts were that the earth was a round ball in the center of a round uni ; verse and the sun, moon, stars, j and the other five planets revolved around it. Up to lti.'t2 when his book was published, Galileo’s main trouble was with fellow physicists and scholars. He was flunked out of a university for his "absurd" ideas about mathematical truths, and 1 was run out of town everytime he opened his mouth on the topic of physics. About this time he began to study Copernicus, and became entranced At this time the church was on bis side One cardinal even wrote Galileo a letter saying if the Bible is interpreted literally, it says the earth is motionless, but added he would be willing to change the interpretation to fit the motion theory, if necessary. The church remained on Gali leo's side for some years, despite an anti-Galileo lobby group called derisively the Pigeon League" because the surname of its lead er meant "dove." The church's stand was if it is really true the earth moves, the present interpretation of the Bible must be wrong, for it can't contradict scientific knowledge. In order to have scientific knowl SUMER JOBS AVAILABLE Manpower Inc. (lie world's largest temporary help organiza tion has summer openings for thousands of college men. You’ll l>e doing healthy and interesting general labor work at good pay. Call or visit the Manpower office in your home city. We’re listed in tho white pages of the tele j)liono directory. MANPOWER OVER 400 OFFICES IHROUCHOUf THE WORLD edge there must, be evidence. There was no way Galileo could prove his belief, and as a result, the church could no longer ac cept his views. Galileo did succeed in getting permission from Pope Urban Vttl to write a book in which both sides of the question were to be equally and fairly presented. What Galileo actually wrote was an argument killing the geocen tric theory and totally replacing it with the heliocentric theory. Urban didn’t bother to read the manuscript because he thought he knew what Galileo had written. Several lesser church officials and scholars also read the manuscript, but their ignorance and feeling that the book was all right, since the Pope himself had already ap proved it, prevented them from withholding the book. It was pub lished and distributed. Almost immediately, there was Forms Available For Program All students planning to en ter the block program fall term of 19(>6 must pick up ap plications forms in the student teaching office. Students must see Mrs. Nye for placement no later than Thursday. a scramble to place the blame for the book’s publication. Galileo was tried for heresy and treason. When proof was pre sented that undeniably establish ed his innocence, a charge of per jury was trumped up. This time they were able to find Galileo guilty with the help of a forged document and a falsified summary of his case. His book was prohib ited. Galileo had been persecuted for his ideas and found guilty of a non-existent crime. why IwNie when there is a permanent way? We can free you of all unwanted hair from face, arms, legs . . . PERMANENTLY. Make an ap pointment for a personal con sultation with our specialist. No obligation, of course. 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