Mario Livio reminds us that one of the major goals of physics today is to formulate a theory that would unify all the fundamental forces of nature – gravity, electromagnetism, the strong and weak nuclear reactions. He tells us that it was Galileo ‘who took the first, insightful step toward such a unification’.
This is not just another biography, but an illuminating one that explains how and why Galileo found himself before the Inquisition. It was not so much his defence of the Copernican view that the earth revolves around the sun, contrary to the ancient but mistaken view of Aristotle, but the fact that his explanation trespassed into the realm of the Church.
Only the Church has the right to interpret what the Bible says. The passages in Joshua 10 and Psalm 19 in which it was stated that the sun stood still, are matters of theology, not science. Livio shows the insidious antagonism the clerics have against Galileo and how they manoeuvre him, ultimately, to face the Inquisition.
This is an outstanding biography because Livio, himself an astrophysicist, could not help but explain the science to us, but how clearly and vividly he does so. It is what presents the context of Galileo’s achievements. The collateral story of Galileo’s eventual humiliation in Rome is told by Livio in arresting fashion. We see how a brilliant but naïve scientist got trapped by his scriptural enemies who rejects Galileo’s theories even though he explains with clarity how the Aristotelian-Ptolemaic world system has been dismantled by the Copernican one.
From what we see even today, in 2021, science still has its deniers. They will not read this book. But anyone who has an open mind will surely find light, if not through Galileo’s arguments, then certainly through his life; one dedicated to the cause of science. The words ‘Science Deniers’ in Livio’s book are significant today because this biography shows how the Catholic Church denied not only the discoveries of Copernicus, but also of Galileo’s, in favour of the unscientific, unproven, theories of Aristotle and Ptolemy – the obstinate denial that the sun moves from east to west and that the earth stood still. The contradiction by Galileo caused him to be subjected to the humiliation of the Inquisition and ultimate house imprisonment and the banning of his book, the Dialogo. It was the Church that insisted that science was wrong. It was only in 1992 that Galileo was exonerated. And even then, rather than accepting that the Bible is wrong and science is right, the Church created a moat around itself; a bubble in which scientific truth belongs to science and ‘truth of faith’ belongs to religion.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Learn more
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle Cloud Reader.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Join or create book clubs
Choose books together
Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
![Galileo: And the Science Deniers by [Mario Livio]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51yLGbKKvRL._SY346_.jpg)
Follow the Author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.
| Price | New from | Used from |
|
Audible Audiobook, Unabridged
"Please retry" |
$0.00
| Free with your Audible trial | |
|
Hardcover, Illustrated
"Please retry" | $8.99 | $2.85 |
|
Audio CD, Audiobook, CD, Unabridged
"Please retry" | $25.99 | — |
Great on Kindle
Great Experience. Great Value.
Putting our best book forward
Each Great on Kindle book offers a great reading experience, at a better value than print to keep your wallet happy.
Explore your book, then jump right back to where you left off with Page Flip.
View high quality images that let you zoom in to take a closer look.
Enjoy features only possible in digital – start reading right away, carry your library with you, adjust the font, create shareable notes and highlights, and more.
Discover additional details about the events, people, and places in your book, with Wikipedia integration.
Get the free Kindle app: 
Enjoy a great reading experience when you buy the Kindle edition of this book.
Learn more about Great on Kindle, available in select categories.
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
From the Publisher
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
About the author
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Customer reviews
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 27, 2021
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 3, 2020
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 13, 2020
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 23, 2021
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 3, 2021
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 26, 2020
Top reviews from other countries
avidreader
Easy to read, gripping story
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on July 23, 2020Eliane Pompei
It lit up a little girls world
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on August 22, 2021Amazon Customer
A true visionary very much ahead of his time
Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on October 18, 2021George Poirier
Galileo and the Catholic Church
Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on July 30, 2020
