The life and Times of Galileo

January Term 2003

Instructor: Don Salisbury

Moody Science 107

X2480

dsalisbury@austincollege.edu

This course will explore the historical roots of Galileo's scientific discoveries. Visits to museums, churches, galleries, universities, and sites where Galileo lived, worked and worshiped will help establish the intellectual, religious and social climate of the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries in Italy. The travel itinerary will include all the major stations in Galileo's life, from his origins to triumphs and ultimate house arrest in Florence, with shorter term appointments in Pisa and Siena, and a professorship in Padua with a workshop in Venice. The final four days in Rome will be devoted to his conflict with the church.

Course Objectives

• Become familiar with some aspects of medieval and Renaissance northern Italian history
• Begin to develop an understanding of the nature of the Renaissance, a recognition of some of the key players and an appreciation of Florence's central role
• Learn what distinguished Galileo's science from that of his predecessors
• Try to discern Renaissance roots in Galileo's thought and action
• Gain a deeper understanding of the conflict between Galileo and the Catholic church.
• Savor the Italian culture which bore Galileo

Course Requirements

Required reading

Galileo's Daughter, Dava Sobel, Penguin Books

Presentations

Students will make three fifteen minute group presentations reporting on afternoon explorations. Stress should be placed on discoveries related to the course theme. (20% of grade)

Portfolio

Each student will be required to keep a portfolio documenting experiences and insights gained relating to the course objectives. The portfolio may include relevant diary entries, sketches, photographs, music, art, etc. (40% of grade)

Participation

Let us each try to enrich each other's experiences on this journey. I envision unexpected revelations which will follow from an openness in observation and a readiness to reflect upon and discuss what we have seen and experienced. (40% of grade)

Itinerary

02 January
Depart DFW Airport
Delta Airlines Flight DL 584
Departure from Terminal E at 11:45 AM
Arrival at Terminal 3 of JFK Airport in New York at 4:06 PM

Delta Airlines Fight DL 148
Departure from JFK New York Terminal 3 at 5:30 PM
Arrival at Fiumicino Airport Rome at 8:00 AM, 03 January

03 January :
Arrival of the group to Roma Termini railway station.
Departure by train "Eurostar" n° 9440 at 13:30 to Florence Santa Maria
Novella railway station ( bear in mind to punch tickets before you get
on the train).

Arrival to Florence around 15:05 and accommodation at the HOTEL GOLF Viale F. Rosselli,56 FLORENCE
Tel.: 0039/055/281818

03 January through 20 January:Stay in Hotel Golf
Breakfast included

20 January :
Breakfast and Departure by train "Eurostar" n° 9464 at 10:38 from Florence Santa Maria Novella railway station to Padua railway station ( bear in mind to punch tickets before you get on the train).
Arrival to Padua around 12:55 and accommodation at the HOTEL MONACO Piazzale stazione,3
PADUA
Tel.: 0039/049/664344

20 through 22 January :
Stay in Hotel Monaco
Breakfast included.

22 January:
Breakfast and Departure by train "IR" n° 2226 at 10:21 from Padua railway station to Venice S. Lucia railway station ( bear in mind to punch tickets before you get on the train).Arrival to Venice around 10:53 and accommodation at the HOTEL CA' BURLOTTO
S. Croce ,316
Fondamenta Rizzi
VENICE
Tel.: 0039/041/710877

22 through 24 January :
Stay in Hotel Ca' Burlotto
Breakfast included.

24 January :
Breakfast and Departure by train "Eurostar " n°9401 at 10:33 from Venice S. Lucia railway station to Rome Termini railways station.( bear in mind to punch tickets before you get on the train).Arrival to Rome around 15:05 and accommodation at the HOTEL PORTAMAGGIORE
P.zza di Porta Maggiore, 25
ROME
Tel.: 0039/06/7027927

25 through 28 January :
Stay in Hotel Porta Maggiore
Breakfast included.

28 January
Departure on Delta Flight DL 71 from Fiumicino Rome Airport, Terminal C
10:45 AM
Arrival Hartsfield Airport Atlanta Terminal S at 3:40 PM
Departure from Atlanta Terminal S on Delta Flight DL 195 at 5:20 PM
Arrival at DFW Terminal E at 6:45 PM