How did Galileo respond to the edict? What did he do to protect himself? The original 1616 edict was not taken entirely seriously: "The Sun-Centered universe still remained an unproven idea -- without, [Pope] Urban believed, any proof in its future" (Sobel 138). However, Galileo still undertook steps to protect himself, defending his writings as a way: "to show Protestants to the north…that Catholics understood more about astronomy" (Sobel 140). His writings, in other words, would be used to glorify the Church and Catholicism's intelligence, as compared to Protestantism. Given that Catholicism and Protestantism were effectively 'at war' for dominance over Europe at the time, Galileo hoped that being seen as a warrior against Protestantism would license his writings and take some of the 'heat' of scrutiny off of his writings.

Q4. Describe the relationship between Galileo and Cardinal Barberini, who become Pope Urban. How did this and Galileo's Catholic faith shape his science and his writings? Describe the dialogue concerning the chief two world systems and the strategies Galileo employed to make it acceptable, including its licensing.

In his dialogue, Galileo acknowledged the possible objections that could arise. "The Dialogue resumed his importuning the truths of Nature be allowed to emerge through science. Such truths, he believed, could only glorify the words of God" (Sobel 148). Galileo understood that his theories, derived from observations and calculations, could be viewed to contradict the Copernican system. However, he denied this possibility. The centrality of man in the universe and the worldview of God, according to the Church were often viewed as replicated in the centrality of the earth in the center of the Copernican system. Galileo's findings seemed to deny this fact and displace Man....

However, Galileo did not deny the reliance of human beings upon God, and viewed understanding God's universe as an essential component of his religious mission in life.
Catholicism fundamentally views the world as God-created and God, although human beings may choose to sin in this good, God-derived world. The existence of Original Sin does not mean that the world is evil, nor that rationalism is evil. All human beings have free will to make decisions about how to govern their existence.

Q5. How and why did Galileo's dialogue fall into disrepute? Explain the proceedings against him.

Political sparring between Rome and Tuscany -- "although the Tuscan philosopher [initially] remained in the Pope's favor…he could no longer expect the same degree of personal conflict and privilege he expected in the past;" the threat of the Protestant Revolution, and the political alliances of the Thirty Years War all made it politically uncomfortable for the Pope to overlook the implications of Galileo's writings, thus leading to the proceedings against him on the charges of heresy (Sobel 194-195).

Q6. Do you think the proceeding against Galileo were understandable and fair? Why or why not?

Understandable, yes. Fair -- no. The proceedings against Galileo were politically motivated. Galileo's struggles show the relationship between political life and scientific life, more so than the incompatibility of religious and scientific life. The book demonstrates the extent to which even scientific 'fact' is not viewed as neutral: due to the political machinations of the world of men, facts and figures, honestly derived to further the truth of human history, are viewed in a negative moral light.

Work Cited

Sobel, D. Galileo's Daughter. New York: Walker & Company, 2011.