Galileo Galilei
Also called: Galileo · Topic: Renaissance, Reformation and the Scientific Revolution · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 5 "Changing Cultural Traditions"
Meaning
Galileo Galilei (1564–1642) was an Italian scientist of the Scientific Revolution. In his work The Motion, he supported the idea of a dynamic, moving world, in which the earth itself moves. He helped make the sun-centred (Copernican) view widely accepted. He based knowledge on observation and experiment, not only on belief. His ideas brought him into conflict with the Church.
Example
Galileo remarked that the Bible "that lights the road to heaven does not say much on how the heavens work". In other words, religion and science answer different questions.
Don't confuse with
- Johannes Kepler: Both supported Copernicus. Kepler showed that planets move in ellipses (ovals). Galileo worked on motion and the dynamic world.