Letter to the Grand Dutchess Christina
What was Galileo’s theory of the physical structure of the universe? How did it differ from the prevailing Ptolemaic view of the universe?
Galileo believes in the heliocentric model of the solar system. This means that the sun is at the center of the solar system and the other planets revolve around the sun. This differs from
the Ptolemaic view of the solar system because the Ptolemaic model shows a model where earth is at the center and the other planets revolve around it.
What views does Galileo have on the Bible? Does he seem to believe in God?
Galileo believes that the Bible does not have scientific truths. In Galileo’s letter to the Grand Dutchess, he says, “To this end
they hurled various charges and published numerous writings filled with vain arguments, and they made the grave mistake of sprinkling these with passages taken from places in the Bible which they had failed to understand properly, and which were ill-suited to their purposes.” (Galileo). Galileo also states that we have failed to understand the Bible properly. Galileo believes in God and he gives thanks to him by saying, “Let us therefore render thanks to Almighty God, who in His beneficence protects us from this danger by depriving such persons of all authority, reposing the power of consultation, decision, and decree on such important matters in the high wisdom and benevolence of most prudent Fathers, and in the supreme authority of those who cannot fail to order matters properly under the guidance of the Holy Ghost.” (Galileo).
All quotes are taken from the provided reading: Letter to the Grand Dutchess Christina
