Nov

19

Galileo on the Use of Reason

November 19, 2007 |

Posted by michaelp · Filed Under Christian Philosophy, Prolegomena 

Catholic Italian physicist and astronomer Galileo Galilei (1564-1642), who’s findings, while condemned by the church (blush), forged the backbone of modern astronomy as he discovered that the earth moved around the sun, not the sun around the earth, had this to say concerning the Christian’s use of the mind and science:

I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use. . . . In the discussion of natural problems we ought to begin not with the Scriptures, but with experiments, and demonstrations.

I found this paragraph extremely helpful.


Comments

1 Comment so far

  1. Josh on November 22, 2007 1:56 pm

    Michael,

    Have you read Dinesh D’Souza’s new book “Whats so Great about Christainity”? He talks a bit about how the Galileo trial and how it has been embelished and far removed from what we believe to have happened given the historical evidence.

    On an off topic note (open for anyone), I am trying to figure out the core reasons why Christainity rejects the theory of evolution theologically and exegetically, if anyone wants to put in their reasons I would be must grateful.

    Thanks.

    Your brother in Christ,

    -Josh

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