Analyze the letter written by Galileo Galilei to the Grand Duchess Christina of Tuscany - Essay Example

He reiterates his loyalty to the Catholic Church and, at the same time, justifies his support of the Copernican theory of the heliocentric universe. Galileo Galilei: Letter to the Grand Duchess Galileo Galilei may be considered to be the Father of modern science. His letter to the Grand Duchess Christina of Tuscany, written in 1615, is one to the most famous epistles in scientific history. It demonstrates the conflict between science and religion, and Galileo’s attempt to strike a balance between the two.

As the protege of the late Ferdinando I de Medici, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, and the mentor of his son, Cosimo II de Medici, Galileo enjoyed a close relationship with the politically powerful and influential Medici clan. With his outspoken support for the heliocentric theory of Copernicus, Galileo was already at loggerheads with the conservative adherents of the geocentric theory and the church hierarchy. In this letter, he seeks “to justify myself in the eyes of all men” (Galileo, 1615. P. 11).

In this context, his letter to the Grand Duchess may be considered a device used by Galileo to publicize and justify his stand on the issue, to canvass the support of the Medici family, and to attempt to seek reconciliation with the church by clearing the air of the controversy which continued to dog his works. Throughout the letter, Galileo remains firm in reiterating his loyalty to the Catholic Church, its Council and its Supreme Pontiff, the Pope. Even when Galileo passionately defends experimental science, he reiterates his identity as a staunch Catholic.

His intimate relationship with the Catholic Church cannot be denied. He initially studied for the priesthood, and was on friendly terms with Cardinal Bellarmine and Pope Urban VII. His two daughters, Virginia and Livia, became nuns at the Franciscan convent of St. Mathew, near Florence (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2010). Galileo’s belief in God is clearly stated. He sees the Divine Maker revealed in nature’s actions. To him, his work in astronomy and his belief in God are but two mutually reconciled facets of his life.

Galileo poignantly asserts his faith in God, and its expression in his work, with the words “the glory and greatness of Almighty God are marvelously discerned in all his works and divinely read in the open book of heaven” (Galileo, 1615.P22). He considers the faculty of reason to be a divine gift given to man. It is evident that he is deliberately assuming a placatory tone and is determined not to antagonize the Church, as far as possible. He declares, “I proceed with --- piety” (Galileo, 1615. P.12).

Again, regarding the Bible, theologians and Church Councils, he firmly asserts that “I hold these to be of supreme authority” (Galileo, 1915. P12). He declares himself as willing to admit to any mistakes based on religious ignorance and is ready to submit to the church’s stand on the Copernican system. He does not claim from his works “any fruit that is not pious and Catholic” (Galileo, 1615. P.13). He makes his position with respect to the Church very clear by unequivocally stating, “that divine wisdom surpasses all human judgment and conjecture” (Galileo. 1615. P.15). He professes his “extraordinary esteem for the passages of holy Scripture” (Galileo, 1615. P18). Galileo attempts to clearly differentiate between his critics and adversaries, and the Church authorities.

He denounces the former in the