Galileo's 1632 book, Dialogue on the Two Chief World Systems, Ptolemaic and Copernican, comes alive for twentieth-century readers thanks to Maurice Finocchiaro's brilliant new translation and presentation. Condemned by the Inquisition for its heretical proposition that the earth revolves around the sun, Galileo's masterpiece takes the form of a debate, divided into four "days," among three highly articulate gentlemen. Finocchiaro sets the stage with his introduction, which not only provides the human and historical framework for the Dialogue but also admits the reader gracefully into the basic non-Copernican understanding of the universe that would have been shared by Galileo's original audience. The translation of the Dialogue is abridged in order to highlight its essential content, and Finocchiaro gives titles to the various parts of the debate as a guide to the principal topics. By explicating his own critical reading of this text that is itself an exercise in critical reasoning on a gripping real-life controversy, he illuminates those universal, perennial activities of the human mind that make Galileo's book a living document. This is a concrete, hands-on introduction to critical thinking. The translation has been made from the Italian text provided in volume 7 of the Critical National Edition of Galileo's complete works edited by Antonio Favaro. The translator has also consulted the 1632 edition, as well as the other previous English translations, including California's 1967 version. Galileo on the World Systems is a remarkably nuanced interpretation of a classic work and will give readers the tools to understand and evaluate for themselves one of the most influential scientific books in Western civilization.

Provides a brief biography, followed by a selection of Galilei's writings.

Publisher Description

The Sidereal Messenger, authored by the pioneering astronomer Galileo Galilei, is a groundbreaking treatise that presents the revolutionary findings of Galileo’s telescopic observations of celestial bodies. Published in 1610, this seminal work marks a pivotal moment in the history of science, as Galileo challenges the established geocentric worldview that dominated astronomical thought for centuries. In *The Sidereal Messenger*, Galileo offers detailed descriptions and illustrations of his observations, including the discovery of the four largest moons of Jupiter, now known as the Galilean moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. These observations provide compelling evidence supporting the heliocentric model proposed by Copernicus, which posits that the Earth and other planets revolve around the Sun. Galileo's meticulous approach emphasizes the importance of observation and experimental evidence in understanding the cosmos, laying the foundation for the modern scientific method. Galileo's work did not go unnoticed, and it caught the attention of other astronomers of the time, including Johannes Kepler, who would further develop and refine the Copernican model of planetary motion. The text also reflects Galileo's passion for science and his unwavering commitment to truth, despite the considerable opposition he faced from the Church and the prevailing scientific community. His articulation of celestial phenomena with clarity and enthusiasm captures the wonder of the universe while inviting readers to challenge their understanding of the heavens. The treatise is characterized by its engaging prose, blending scientific inquiry with a poetic appreciation for the beauty of the cosmos. Galileo's use of the vernacular makes the discoveries accessible to a wider audience, encouraging public interest in astronomy and scientific thought. This accessibility signifies a shift in the dissemination of scientific knowledge, moving away from the exclusive domain of the educated elite toward the general populace. *The Sidereal Messenger* is not only a pivotal work in astronomy; it is also a profound contribution to philosophy, illustrating the dynamic interplay between observation and understanding in the search for knowledge. As readers explore Galileo’s account of the night skies, they embark on a journey through time — witnessing the birth of modern scientific thought and the revolutionary shift in humanity’s perception of its place in the universe.

As enjoyable as it is important, this classic encompasses 30 years of highly original experiments and theories. Its lively expositions discuss dynamics, elasticity, sound, strength of materials, and more. 126 diagrams.

Galileo’s telescopic discoveries, and especially his observation of sunspots, caused great debate in an age when the heavens were thought to be perfect and unchanging. Christoph Scheiner, a Jesuit mathematician, argued that sunspots were planets or moons crossing in front of the Sun. Galileo, on the other hand, countered that the spots were on or near the surface of the Sun itself, and he supported his position with a series of meticulous observations and mathematical demonstrations that eventually convinced even his rival. On Sunspots collects the correspondence that constituted the public debate, including the first English translation of Scheiner’s two tracts as well as Galileo’s three letters, which have previously appeared only in abridged form. In addition, Albert Van Helden and Eileen Reeves have supplemented the correspondence with lengthy introductions, extensive notes, and a bibliography. The result will become the standard work on the subject, essential for students and historians of astronomy, the telescope, and early modern Catholicism.

Pt. 1. His life. Curious student ; Research professor ; Clever courtier ; Popular author. -- Pt. 2. His works. Interpreting sense impressions ; Continua -- Mathematical and physical ; Magnetism ; The pump that failed ; Apparent lightness ; Weighing air ; Floating ebony ; Analyzing an alloy ; The screw as a machine ; Strength of materials ; Natural oscillations ; Falling bodies ; Spots on the sun ; New moons ; Parallax of a star ; Nature -- God's handiwork. -- Outline of life and works.

This title includes an introduction by Antonio Favaro. Italian astronomer and philosopher GALILEO GALILEI (1564-1642) is unquestionably one of the most influential forces upon the modern understanding of the physical world. But even few armchair scientists have discovered his writing in his own words. This is Galileo's final work, and the most mature explication of his scientific philosophies. Presented as a dialogue among three imaginary men who represent Galileo himself at different stages of his thought processes, it explores the two sciences, at their most basic, Galileo pioneered: engineering and the laws of motion, the latter of which anticipates Isaac Newton by half a century. This classic 1914 translation is by American physicist HENRY CREW (1859-1953) and Italian scholar of the Italian language ALFONSO DE SALVIO (1873-1938), both of whom were serving on the faculty of Northwestern University when they produced his work. Galileo himself could not publish this 1638 work throughout much of Europe after his conviction by the Inquisition, but this volume makes him readily accessible to lay scientists today.