Two truths cannot contradict one another. Galileo Galilei More Quotes by Galileo Galilei More Quotes From Galileo Galilei See now the power of truth. Galileo Galilei Philosophy itself cannot but benefit from our disputes, for if our conceptions prove true, new achievements will be made; if false, their refutation will further confirm the original doctrines. Galileo Galilei achievement philosophy thinking To command their professors of astronomy to refute their own observations is to command them not to see what they do see and not to understand what they do understand. Galileo Galilei astronomy atheism religion I, Galileo, son of the late Vicenzo Galilei, swear that I never said that the prime numbers are useless. What I said was that you cannot count lunar craters by counting 2, 3, 5, 7. Galileo Galilei useless numbers son Showing a greater fondness for their own opinions than for truth, they sought to deny and disprove the new things which, if they had cared to look for themselves, their own senses would have demonstrated to them. Galileo Galilei cold opinion looks See now the power of truth; the same experiment which at first glance seemed to show one thing, when more carefully examined, assures us of the contrary. Galileo Galilei glances shows firsts But let us remember that we are dealing with infinities and indivisibles both of which transcend our finite understanding, the former on account of their magnitude, the latter because of their smallness. Galileo Galilei imagine infinity understanding Nature...does not act by means of many things when it can do so by means of a few. Galileo Galilei doe can-do mean Take note, theologians, that in your desire to make matters of faith out of propositions relating to the fixity of sun and earth you run the risk of eventually having to condemn as heretics those who would declare the earth to stand still and the sun to change position-eventually, I say, at such a time as it might be physically or logically proved that the earth moves and the sun stands still. Galileo Galilei running science moving The hypothesis is pretty; its only fault is that it is neither demonstrated nor demonstrable. Who does not see that this is purely arbitrary fiction that puts nothingness as existing and proposes nothing more than simple noncontradiciton? Galileo Galilei simple doe thinking Nature is written in mathematical language. Galileo Galilei mathematical mathematics language It vexes me when they would constrain science by the authority of the Scriptures, and yet do not consider themselves bound to answer reason and experiment. Galileo Galilei vex scripture answers Among the great men who have philosophized about [the action of the tides], the one who surprised me most is Kepler. He was a person of independent genius, [but he] became interested in the action of the moon on the water, and in other occult phenomena, and similar childishness. Galileo Galilei independent moon science But some, besides allegiance to their original error, possess I know not what fanciful interest in remaining hostile not so much toward the things in question as toward their discoverer. Galileo Galilei allegiance interest errors I have been judged vehemently suspect of heresy, that is, of having held and believed that the sun in the centre of the universe and immoveable, and that the earth is not at the center of same, and that it does move. Wishing however, to remove from the minds of your Eminences and all faithful Christians this vehement suspicion reasonably conceived against me, I abjure with a sincere heart and unfeigned faith, I curse and detest the said errors and heresies, and generally all and every error, heresy, and sect contrary to the Holy Catholic Church. (Quoted in Shea and Artigas 194) Galileo Galilei christian heart moving I would say here something that was heard from an ecclesiastic of the most eminent degree: The intention of the Holy Spirit is to teach us how one goes to heaven, not how the heavens go. Galileo Galilei degrees heaven science They who depend upon manifest observations will philosophize better than those who persist in opinions repugnant to the senses. Galileo Galilei observation manifest opinion E pur si muove. "Albeit It does move". (That's what Galileo purportedly muttered after torturers forced him to recant his theory that the earth orbits the sun.) Galileo Galilei orbit doe moving If there were as great a scarcity of soil as of jewels or precious metals, there would not be a prince who would not spend a bushel of diamonds and rubies and a cartload of gold just to have enough earth to plant a jasmine in a little pot, or to sow an orange seed and watch it sprout, grow, and produce its handsome leaves, its fragrant flowers, and fine fruit. Galileo Galilei orange flower jewels I believe that the intention of Holy Writ was to persuade men of the truths necessary to salvation; such as neither science nor other means could render credible, but only the voice of the Holy Spirit. Galileo Galilei men mean believe
