Truth in Science: Proof, Persuasion, and the Galileo Affair

ISBN:

09544194

URL:

http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=13189697&site=ehost-live

Keywords:

COSMOLOGY; EVIDENCE; HELIOCENTRIC astrology; SCIENCE; TRUTH; GALILEI, Galileo, 1564-1642; Copernicus; Galileo; heliocentric cosmology; COPERNICUS, Nicolaus

Abstract:

In 1616 in a letter destined for Galileo, Cardinal Roberto Bellarmine (the leading Catholic theologian of his day) expressed his doubts about finding evidence for a moving earth. Would the annual stellar parallax or the Foucault pendulum have convinced him? The historical setting explored in this essay suggests that the cardinal would not have been swayed by these modern 'proofs' of the heliocentric cosmology, even though they are convincing to us today because we in the meantime have the advantage of a Newtonian framework. What passes today for truth in science is a comprehensive system of coherencies supported more by persuasion than 'proofs'.

Notes:

J1: Science & Christian Belief; M3: Article; Gingerich, Owen 1; Affiliations: 1: Senior Astronomer, Emeritus and Research, Professor, Astronomy and History of Science, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics; Source Information: Apr2004, Vol. 16 Issue 1, p13; Subject Term: COSMOLOGYSubject Term: EVIDENCESubject Term: HELIOCENTRIC astrologySubject Term: SCIENCESubject Term: TRUTH; Subject Term: GALILEI, Galileo, 1564-1642; Author-Supplied Keyword: CopernicusAuthor-Supplied Keyword: GalileoAuthor-Supplied Keyword: heliocentric cosmology; People: COPERNICUS, Nicolaus; Number of Pages: 14p; Illustrations: 5bw; Document Type: Article