Galileo: His Science and His Significance for the Future of Man [Hardcover]

Albert DiCanzio (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0964129566 | ISBN-13: 978-0964129566 | Publication Date: January 15, 1997 | Edition: 1

Here at last is a readable and thorough account of the creation of modern science by one of the most pivotal and intriguing scientists in history. Connects Galileo's work to that of his major precursors and successors and to contemporary challenges facing humans on planet Earth. Describes discovery processes behind his innovations in physics, astronomy, pure and applied mathematics, philosophy of science, cosmology, measurement instrumentation and in newer developments including Relativity Theory. By example, raises the question: how much more advanced a civilization might we enjoy were it not for the subordination of individual achievers to collectivist institutions? Identifies a principal tool of that subordination and how it is used in education today. By analogy to the strategy of Whitman's "noiseless, patient spider", tells how a scientist who helped demote Earth to the status of a planet in an obscure part of the universe also showed the power of earthbound individuals to overcome intellectual tyranny and reach for the stars.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"... provides science teachers at all levels with a deeper understanding of a truly brilliant man ..." -- The Physics Teacher, Vol. 36, April 1998, Book Review by Robert Gardner

"...DiCanzio's style of writing is informative, engaging and often interspersed with bits of humor ..." -- Journal of the American Scientific Affiliation, "Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith", Vol. 51 No. 2, June 1999, review by J. David Holland, Instructor of Biology, Springfield College in Illinois

"GREAT fun to read." -- Dr. Sallie Baliunas, Astronomer

Well written and illustrated ... enthusiastic ... admirable balance between Galileo's physics and his astronomy, and a careful walk through his famous trial. -- Dr. Owen Gingerich, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Journal of the History of Astronomy, Nov 2000

From the Inside Flap

Science and technology have transformed civilization. How much more advanced a civilization might we enjoy were it not for the subordination of individual achievers to collectivist institutions? A 20th century student of Galileo has written this book about his teacher, the great philosopher and scientist of the early 17th century, whose contributions to the content, the method and the instruments of science were so many and so critical that the title "Father of Modern Science" is usually reserved for him. That intellectual revolution brought him into tragic conflict with the Inquisition.

Here the author, an unknown and independent observer, lashes out at the academic establishment, members of which, he says, have bungled the interpretation of that conflict and buried its significance for the future of man in petty criticism. With unprecedented clarity, he extracts the meaning of this crucial episode in the history of man, framing it in a fresh and crisp perspective. Within his vision of the future looms a newly productive focus on scientific reasoning, on the relationship between science and theology, and on prospects for post-Galilean industries. Except for certain passages that can be safely skipped by readers with a non-mathematical background, this book can be read by any curious reader willing to exchange a bit of concentration for the opportunity to accompany the author on the trail of one of the grandest adventures that the history of science has to offer.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 415 pages
• Publisher: ADASI Publishing; 1 edition (January 15, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0964129566
• ISBN-13: 978-0964129566
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.9 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,618,594 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A New Appreciation for Galileo, February 8, 2000

By 

Dr. Stuart W. Greenwood (Silver Spring, MD) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Galileo: His Science and His Significance for the Future of Man (Hardcover)

The extensive amount of material, coupled with a concise writing style, led me to read the book a few pages at a time. There is not a word or phrase that is not needed. I found the book exhilarating.

I have occasionally wondered how trigonometric functions were conceived as infinite series. As an engineer I have been used to using the results, but it is fascinating to be taken through the process of discovery. My field has been mechanical engineering, and I rather assumed (without having investigated the mattter) that Newton framed his "laws" of motion largely on his own. I now appreciate better what towering contributions Galileo made to science.

Readers with some technical background will find the analytical and mathematical sections significantly enhance the descriptive material.

The book's treatment of the impact of Galileo on his contemporaries, and in turn of their reactions to him, is absorbing. Anyone involved in scientific research should have no problem understanding what Galileo confronted.

Dr. Stuart W. Greenwood

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Resource For Calculus and Physics Students!, March 15, 2000

By 

William V. Thayer (St. Louis, MO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Galileo: His Science and His Significance for the Future of Man (Hardcover)

"Galileo: His Science and His Significance for the Future of Man" by Albert G. DiCanzio should be required reading for each physics student starting at the high school, for some, or college freshman, for the rest, level. After reading several dozen books either translated from Galileo's work(s) or written about him, I find this book the best for the student of 2000. A better lesson for my engineering physics students to understand a sense of basic physics relative to that of the last twenty years does not exist.

1 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Two thumbs up !!, March 28, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Galileo: His Science and His Significance for the Future of Man (Hardcover)

I really thouht the book was wonderful. It gave a great review on his teachings and life.