Galileo in Context: The Origins of Modern Science

Spring 2005

Instructor: Don Salisbury

Moody Science 107

X2480

dsalisbury@austincollege.edu

This course will explore the historical context and the content of Galileo's scientific discoveries. Here is the bulletin description:

Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) is the father of modern science. This course will review his major discoveries in astronomy and mechanics, with stress on the innovative experimental techniques he employed and the evolving conceptual framework within which he worked. He did not work in isolation. The late Renaissance context in which he worked is evident in the questions he addressed, the mental and technical tools he brought to bear on these questions, the means he chose to disseminate his results, and perhaps most importantly, the philosophical and religious implications he drew from his discoveries. Thus the course will include discussion of Greek and Copernican world systems, Renaissance lessons in perspective drawing, relevant aspects of Renaissance humanism, astronomical instruments such as the astrolabe, military engineering, the protestant Reformation and Catholic Counterreformation, the Thirty Years War, and the role of late Renaissance courtiers. Finally, in addition to examining Galileo's lasting contributions to modern science, the course will culminate with a look at a possiblle implications of this societal dynamical study for today. What can we learn from this historical study about the discovery and reception in the twentieth century of Einstein's notions of space and time?

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
• Study the emergence of perspective drawing and new ways of seeing developed by Italian Renaissance artists and architects, and appreciate the extent to which Galileo's science was influenced by and itself influenced some of these developments
• Recognize the technological and instrumental background for Galileo's experiments
• Learn what distinguished Galileo's science from that of his predecessors
• Try to discern other Renaissance roots in Galileo's thought and action, in particular appreciate the role of Renaissance humanism
• Learn Galileo's contribution to modern science, in particular the role of experimentation, his contribution to Newtonian mechanics, and the relation of his cosmos to Einstein's universe
• Gain a deeper understanding of the conflict between Galileo and the Catholic church.
• Recognize contemporary parallels of the Galileo affair in the interaction of science and religion

Course Requirements

Required reading

The Copernican Revolution, Thomas Kuhn,

Galileo's Daughter, Dava Sobel

Galileo on the World Systems, Galilleo Galilee, (Stillman Drake, editor and translator)

Discoveries and Opinions of Galileo, Galilleo Galilee, (Stillman Drake, editor and translator)

Paper

You are asked to research and write a paper on a topic related to the course theme. You must obtain my approval of the topic. The paper must have a length of eight to ten pages double-spaced, with additional pages for the title and bibliography. Sources must include at least two web sites, a journal, and a book (other than the required readings).

Participation

Attendance in class is required. Students will be dropped from the course with five unexcused absences. Once a week you must come prepared to participate in a small discussion group. Your participation grade will be based in large part on your contributions in these meetings, but also on your general perceived engagement in the course.

Examinations and Grading

The course grade will be based on two midterm examinations, course participation, the research paper, and a comprehensive final examination. The midterm exams are scheduled for Wednesday, March 9, and Wednesday, April 27.

Grades will be calculated as follows

Two midterm exams	40
Course participation	20
Paper	20
Final comprehensive examination	20

Academic Integrity

You are expected to abide by the college academic integrity policy which is outlined in the Environment, the student handbook.The following activities constitute a not necessarily exhaustive list of offenses which are in violation of the college's Academic Integrity Policy:

Turning in work done by someone else.

Working on an assignment with others when the instructor asked for individual work.

Receiving unpermitted help on an assignment.

Writing or providing a paper for another student.

Getting Q/A from someone who has taken test.

In a course requiring computer work, copying a friend's program rather than doing your own.

Helping someone else cheat on a test.

Falsifying lab or research data.

Fabricating or falsifying a bibliography.

Copying from another student during a test or examination without his or her knowing it.

Copying from another student during a test with his or her knowledge.

Copying a few sentences of material from a written source without footnoting them in a paper.

Turning in a paper either purchased or plagiarized, in large part, from a term paper "mill" or website.

Copying a few sentences of material from an Internet source without footnoting them in a paper.

Using unpermitted crib notes (cheat sheets) during a test.

Copying material almost work for word from any written source and turning it in as your own work.

Altering graded test and submitting it for additional credit.

Turning in a paper copied from another student.

Using a false excuse to obtain extension on due date.

Hiding or damaging library/course material.

Giving aid to anyone who has not yet taken the daily online reading quiz

Receiving aid on an online reading quiz

Cheating on a test in any other way

Cheating on a written assignment in any other way.

These general policies apply unless explicit written instructions to the contrary are distributed by the instructor. You must become familiar with the requirements set out in this syllabus. If there is ever a question about the appropriateness of an action, ask the instructor for clarification.

Weekly Schedule

Week 1 Greek and Ptolemaic astronomy

Readings from Kuhn The Copernican Revolution

Week 2 The Italian Renaissance in literature and the arts

Selected readings on perspective and Renaissance humanism

Week 3 Medieval and early Renaissance mechanics, engineering and scientific instruments

Selected readings on the astrolabe, armillarys, gnomons, cartography, and military engineering

Week 4 Copernicus, Brahe, and Kepler

Readings from Kuhn The Copernican Revolution

Week 5 Galileo and his times

Readings from Sobel Galileo's Daughter

Week 6 Galileo as courtier and rhetorician

Readings from Biagioli Galileo Courtier and Moss Novelties in the Heavens

Week 7 Galileo's astronomical discoveries

Readings from Drake/Galileo Discoveries and Opinions of Galileo

Week 8 Galileo's defense of the Copernican system

Readings from Drake/Galileo Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems

Week 9 The Galileo Affair

Readings from Finocchiaro The Galileo Affair

Week 10 Galileo's experimental discoveries in physics

Readings in Settle, Renn Galileo in Context, and Machamer The Cambridge Companion to Galileo

Week 11 Galileo's scientific legacy

Readings in the history of science with overview of Newtonian mechanics

Week 12 Einstein's revolution, science, and religion today