Letter to the Grand Duchess Christina by Galileo - Essay Example

?Letter to the grand duchess Christina by Galileo By 1615, there were contradictions regarding the motion of the earth. Many philosophers and people who argued from the biblical point of view rejected the idea of Galileo that the earth revved around the sun. This included a monk named Benedetto Castelli who explained his scriptural point of view to the grand duchess Christina. This made Galileo to write a letter to explain his position regarding the relationship between science and scripture, what he calls the two truths. In explaining the concept of ‘two truths’, Galileo holds to the view that both the scriptures and science are true and the two truths do not contradict one another. Galileo supported his concept of two truths by giving examples that explaining how both science and scriptures reveal the truths about the universe and the nature of God. How Galileo supported his concept of the ‘two truths’ In order to support his statement that the scriptures and science are true and they do not contradict one another, Galileo states that the two truths proceed from the divine word. However, he makes it clear that discussions of physical problems has to start from necessary demonstration and sense experiences and not from scriptural experiences. in regard to science verses th scriptures, Galileo states that we should not believe anything any howly least we hold some prejudice against something that is later to be proofed not to be contrary to the scriptures. Galileo explains that God is revealed first through nature and then again by doctrine. The revelation by nature comes through his works and revelation by doctrine comes through his revealed word (Drake 182).The scriptures explain that God is the creator of all. He made the heaven, the universe, earth and all in it. Galileo’s agreement with this is seen where he complains of having been accused as by other philosophers as if he has placed things in the sky to overturn sciences and upset nature. In essence, he meant that scientific discoveries are in no way a contradiction of the scriptural revelation of God as the creator but a proof of it. It helps to bring out the things he has created. Through the scriptures, we get to learn that God created man and this automatically qualifies human intellect, senses and reason as things given by God. The same God who granted the senses and reasons cannot deny the people the entrusted the intellect, senses and reasons not to use them. Galileo also argues that he does not believe the same God who gave us intellect, reason and senses has intended to forego their use and decided to give human beings knowledge through another means yet it is knowledge that they could have obtained through the use of the reason, senses and intellect (Drake 183). At the same time, God has revealed about the universe and nature through the scriptures. For example, he mentions oceans, clouds, deserts, animals, heavenly bodies like sun, moon and stars among others. It also reveals the functions or functioning of some for example the sun giving light. However, these revelations and explanation are not in totality. For example they do not explain how the heavenly bodies are positioned and move about relative to one another. This means there was a chance for men to use the reasons and senses entrusted to them to discover the details of these creations and therefore discoveries are never a contradiction of the scriptures. As seen above, science helps to explain to those who believe in the scriptures some of the truths that the scriptures does not bring out plainly. As Galileo reveals, some of these questions are those asked by believers of the scriptures for example the motion of heaven. One question that emerges from the brethren is, if heaven is fixed, then how do stars that are fixed to it move from east to west? (Taylor 93). It is obvious they mean how the stars move round the earth because the scriptures reveal that heaven is where God dwells and it is a spiritual place. This means that it is not visible with the mortal eyes and visible things like stars are not located in it. The stars are located in the universe, the space around the earth. Since science and scriptures as sources of truth do not contradict, Galileo states that it is the duty of expositors to seek out the true meaning of the scriptures. According to him, this will unquestionable agree with the physical conclusions about the things that has been made certain to us by necessary demonstrations and manifest sense. The contradictions that are there between the bible and science emerge from contradicting understanding of the two. Galileo explains that for the bible to accommodate the understanding of every person, it has to speak of many things that appear to contradict from the absolute truth so far as the direct meaning of these words are concerned (Drake 183). This is to say that there are some words whose literal meanings are taken, they might lead to contradiction and rejection of scientific discoveries. Nature on the other hand is immutable and inexorable, not caring if people understand its methods of operation and abstruse reasons. Galileo states that for this reason, it appears that all physical things that which necessary demonstrations prove to us or senses set before our eyes should be questioned or condemned just because of testimony of biblical passages that have a contrasting meaning beneath their words (Drake 182). What matters is its evidence-based discoveries. Conclusion We have come to lean a lot of things regarding nature, creations and God, the creator of all things. Human beings have acquired this information from two main points, the scriptures and science. Amazingly, an explanation of most of these things from the scriptural and scientific point of view conquer for example the existence of heavenly bodies, deep seas among others. science and scriptures are therefore true and they do not contradict one another. This is true even though how the bible explains them may not be so direct or clear. However, it is also important to note that the revelations of the scripture are shallow and can therefore be said to lay foundation for making science. Works Cited Drake Stillman. Letter to Madame Christina of Lorraine, Grand Duchess of Tuscany: Concerning the Use of Biblical Quotations in Matters of Science (1615), trans. Discoveries and Opinions of Galileo. 1957. Taylor Sedley. (1873). “Letter to Cristina di Lorena, Grand Duchess of Tuscany (the mother of his patron Cosmo), 1615.” Quoted in Sedley Taylor, 'Galileo and Papal Infallibility' (Dec 1873). Macmillan's Magazine 29,94. web . Retrieved on 24th, October, 2011. Read More