“And yet it moves…” on Galileo’s Middle Finger
On Tools, Good Associates and Guts
In the year 1609. The light of knowledge shines bright - in Padua from a small house. Galileo Galilei calculated: The sun stays still; the earth moves from the place.
“Life of Galileo” Bertold Brecht
Knowledge and Technology
Galileo was lying on his deathbed; his life flying by. With the world at the centre, his head was spinning. Thinking back to the books, tools, and people that had all changed his life…
His mind venturing back to that afternoon in 1597, the sunrays reflected spirals of dust particles, spinning around the entrance of the University of Padua. Galileo was rushing through the gallery to get back to his reading, the pillars throwing long shades forward - as if the sun showed him the way.
As he was about to enter his “foxhole” in the mathematics department, a somewhat worn-out looking man accosted him: “Do you have a moment?” Without waiting for an answer, continuing: “I have travelled all the way from Austria and have been asked to share a book with you”. Slowing his steps, Galileo glanced suspiciously at this stranger not knowing how this book would impact his life. Hopefully, this person was not going to waste his precious time. “Certainly, why don’t you join me in my office?” Galileo grumbled, though his curiosity was piqued.
Barely having made it through the arched door, the visitor continued: “I won’t not keep you long” the pointy-faced, stubbled man said in poor Italian. “My name is Paul Hamborg, I have travelled a long way from Austria. I am but a humble music teacher in a secondary school. However, my colleague asked me to pass on his book to a fellow mathematician. Leaning in he said with a low voice and a wink: “Signore Johannes is looking for a fellow believer of Copernicus’ theory. So I think you are the right person!” He took a large leather-bound book out of his knapsack. Its title said “Mysterium Cosmographicum” by a certain “Johannes Kepler.” He dropped the leather-bound book on top of the messy yet - in Galileo’s eyes - orderly book stack.
Baffled by his disrespect for his favourite books, Galileo nodded “thank you…” Galileo now taking his turn to lean in: “I do not like to discuss my personal views on Copernicus with anyone. But I will most certainly read the book and give my views on it. Could I pass on a note later this week? I am rather busy now…” “Unfortunately, not,” Paul said: “however much I’d love to stay I am delayed on my journey, and I am leaving tonight. However, if you can have a brief read today, I will gladly pass on a message to Signore Kepler…”
…Signore, Galileo “wake up, wake up” Galileo was being shaken sideways. “You are hallucinating again - probably from your fever.” “I’m fine thank you” he mumbled back in his bed in Florence… “That was a pivotal moment in my life that you just interrupted…”
…Kepler started writing with Galileo. Galileo confessed that he also agreed with the Polish scientist Copernicus. Copernicus had held heretical views that the sun was in fact the centre of the universe as opposed to earth as was commonly thought. Contradict the passages in the bible that earth stood still. Kepler found a heretic ally with Galileo.
Years crept by, as Galileo kept on going back and forth to Florence to teach mathematics to the Duce of Tuscany. The freedom and time giving him the opportunity to develop his thoughts further. For instance grow his beliefs of a sun placed in the centre of the universe coming one step closer from that other encounter in Padua…
…Making his way through the stench of the fish market, Galileo briefly greeted that young bright Jewish thinker “Luzzatto”. That Rabbi was equally scorned for his esoteric views by the community for his supposedly messianic thoughts. Galileo tried to support young revolutionary thinkers. However, their religious lines forced them to stay apart. “Have you read my book yet on the cosmos?” the young Jew asked. Galileo replied: “Not yet amici - hopefully soon. I am working on a breakthrough which I hope to discuss at some stage at the university - you should come hear the talk.” Continuing his way, giggling girls shyly looked away, gossiping about the brusque professor. He was on a mission after a long day of work. He needed to have some wine in the inn. Travellers from all over the world had just arrived through Venice from Europe, Africa, and Asia minor.
He ordered a Tuscan Chianti that evening, eavesdropping a loud group of travellers who had just returned from faraway places suddenly being interrupted. “Sir Galileo, Sir Galileo I finally found you – I have been looking for you.” With a sigh of relief a small boy sat next to him as if invited: “I am a messenger from Paris on my way to Venice - please accept a letter” straightaway the messenger disappearing like a shooting star. Galileo looked at the letter turning it over. It was from the scientist Jacques Bovedere, recognising his handwriting and red lacquer stamp. This French astronomer had written with in recent years. Excited to receive foreign mail, he immediately cut the letter open with a stray bread knife. It contained a variety of drawings of long tube-like objects. “Intriguing…” I’ll keep this for tomorrow - too much Chianti to go over it properly…
The letter was to a second contained a tip-off on a Dutch “looker” or what we would now call a telescope. It was invented by a glass polisher from Zealand in the Netherlands, “Hans Lippershey.” Jacques Bovedere thought it could revolutionise cosmology and decided to share it. Galileo immediately set out to build one of his own. Having made an improved version, Galileo soon discovered the mountains on the Moon, moons around Jupiter and sunspots. He had thought experiments that the planets revolved around the sun. But then he found that Venus had different phases like the moon. This proved that the planets revolved around the sun and not around earth itself. Now he did not just have the theory but also the scientific observations to back it up. This however just proved to be the start of what would turn his life upside down. He would have debates with the Church, a ban from teaching Copernicanism, court cases, receive fines, be sent to prison, and finally end up in house arrest. His life, which had been full of promise, was about to become complex but also remembered through the ages.
Looking back on changing the world
Non m'importa cosa il mondo può pensare, io non me ne voglio andare.
Ornella Vanoni
With a soft knock on the door, the maid walked in: “Sir Galileo the gentlemen from England have arrived just now. Shall I let them in? Ah yes, certemente…” As the door opened further, the maid announced the visitors: “Sir Galileo, please meet Sir Thomas Hobbes and Sir William Cavendish the Earl of Devonshire.”
Galileo leaped up from his chair with the unusual agility for a 70-year-old. He briefly observed the formidable height of the jovial looking Englishman Sir Thomas walking in. Alongside him was his shy young pupil, the Earl - splendidly dressed in the latest fashion from England. The Earl made an elegant bow. Galileo, never one for formalities, turned to him “Welcome your Lordship” quickly moving to Sir Thomas: “I heard everything about you and your philosophical works. What is it you say in “Inghilterra”, “Good morningue”?!” “Thank you for receiving us Signore Galileo,” Sir Thomas answered. Galileo warmly clasping their hands said: “It is hot today here in Florence. Shall we go for a walk in the garden before the sun gets unbearable? Adding sotto voce: “The sun been enough of a pain in my life.” Causing some chuckles of the trio.
As they leisurely strolled into the garden, Sir Thomas Hobbes was not quite sure where to start… “It must be distressing to have been put in these circumstances. This world is always quite a mess, though the ones ruling it try to create some order in it…” As if to elicit a reaction from Galileo on his world view and philosophical works… “The young Earl and I have come to the continent to learn from the goings on and bring back lessons learned to our countrymen. Meeting you on our travels is one of our great privileges. Also, it is enlightening for us to be in the Florence of Machiavelli who I greatly admire. I must admit though that I vehemently disagree with his notion of a sovereign as one particular human. Galileo nodded agreeably on that point as Sir Thomas continued talking “Religious wars are running throughout Holland and the situation in England is also in dire straits. We love to learn more about what moved you in your life lessons and your insistence of convincing us that the sun is the centre of the universe.”
Looking pensively at first, the old Galileo set off his monologue “I agree with your views on sovereigns to some extent I suppose. But I have personally always been somewhat of a rebel. I started off in Pisa doing medicine listening to my father. But I soon found that I needed to pursue my passion of mathematics. I am glad I did pursue these dreams. Teaching mathematics has enriched my life and led me to understand the cosmos better. My career was all thought through in advance by my father, yet faith had it that my beliefs were bent by two chance encounters. These helped me gain insights I could not have reached on my own. What does your countryman say: “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants”? Tools and good associates were my change agents. You cannot do anything without them”. He fumbled with his walking stick as if in pain. “But a good constitution is also something” Grasping his back. “This finger is not quite like Leonardo’s. I used to tweak my favourite telescope with it but that is all history by now… Galileo’s mind seemed to fly off along with a couple of butterflies making their way out of the walled garden off to a free world.
Sir Thomas jumped in: “One thing I did not understand: Why did you end up publishing a second controversial book? You were told not to publish your second book - right?” Stroking his beard, Galileo observed some flowers - absent of his guests. Turning to them again “The discussion whether the planets revolve around the earth is an old one. From the day of Aristarchus of Samos and Copernicus, we have entertained this. People have always preferred to take part in the debate without taking a stance themselves - by letting others do the debating. But I do not think that’s right - that way we all continue to live in ignorance.”
“I understand,” Sir Thomas said, “but looking at it in hindsight, when do you think your passion or “spiritedness” becomes recklessness?” Galileo nodded understandingly “I agree with your view of passion, but you ask the wrong question on it. When does it become laziness or walking away from what you need to do?” “Come here William” as Galileo drew the kid closer “What would you do if you see a little child drowning in that little pond over there?” pointing at the sparkling mirror reflecting the evening sky. “Would you jump in, to save the child, or would you care more about your beautiful silk frock?”
As if suddenly awoken, William blurted out: “Of course I would jump into the pond to save the child. It is but a piece of cloth!” “Good, William.” Galileo smiled “If so, then the question is, why do you not save children from starvation in your Devonshire towns with a mere morsel of your annual stipend. Is it not large enough?” William was at first taken aback by his directness. Then he understood his point. They all nodded, giving it some food for thought before quickly realising that earth would keep on spinning in the same direction. After a long silence by all, Galileo continued: “I feel that we are drowning in ill-perceived notions. Remember, we can all see the sun and moon with our own eyes up close now. Are these planets we observe not round? Do not many people believe the earth is flat? Or are we deceiving ourselves? It was when I realised this, that I could not look away anymore.”
With a quick glance at William, Thomas continued “We have certainly had our persecution of the state with our civil war. Dictatorial leaders should be expected to come along from time to time which shows how essential the freedom of man is… How did the court cases of the church come about?” Galileo hesitated - he had not discussed his personal story with many strangers before. However, Sir Thomas Hobbes was different, he decided from his short acquaintance. “Well at first, I thought I was safe; after all the new pope was an old acquaintance. In fact, he had been moderately encouraging of my views when I had met him on various occasions.”
“The Church had argued that the world is the centre of the universe, based on various lines in Psalms1 and Ecclesiastes, that earth is the foundation and unmovable. The context and implications are very unclear though. Further the scripture clearly says: “Do not follow the majority to do evil.” Some think it simply implies that you should followthe majority for good purposes. However, I understood, having observed the universe phenomena with my own eyes, what side of the debate I should be on.”
“So, I set out to write a rebuttal of the earth centric dogma. On purpose I couched my argument in dialogue form. This to stay in good graces with the Church and to insulate myself. Unfortunately this did not help, I called my book the “Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems.” It finally got me sentenced. Looking at his guests calling the character that portrayed the pope Urban the VIII’s view a “Simpleton” was not a good idea.
The current pope used to like my witticisms when he was still living in Florence. When in Rome people start taking themselves too seriously. There is a reason why Plato and Socrates preferred the dialogue form as well though that did not save Socrates either.
1 A.O. Psalms 104 “Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.”
You see asking the right questions is not always appreciated. The issue was that people understood full well what I meant. The popularity of the book triggered all the upheaval. Without this notoriety, the church would not have intervened. One major factor was that I wrote it in common Italian which made it too accessible for the general populous to read. The Church viewed that as a threat. I believe that evolution would have been fine for the Church, but the revolution is perceived as too threatening…
Taking in all the insights, Hobbes nodded “Yes, rulers are there to wield power sometimes. The natural way of nature can be too unruly otherwise… Do you think the church will still reinstate you sometime?” Galileo clearly disagreeing with Hobbes authoritarian views, grinned “I doubt it. Fortunately, I am not in prison at my old age already. Shall we go back in? We have been out for a long time!”
As they walked back inside, Galileo took a deep breath, feeling the weight of his years and his discoveries. “Remember,” he said softly, “the earth may spin, but it is the truth that moves us forward.” Closing the door behind them, Galileo took a long last look at the sun, his sun, slowly setting over the Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore.