Free Response Practice 1

"Why are the trials and tribulations of Galileo often considered both predicative of the future of Western Civilization as well as a perfect encapsulation of the context of his own time?"


Galileo was a very influential scientist of his time.  He not only influenced the scientists of his time, but also the scientists of the future.  He made many contributions to the science world with his theories and beliefs.  He faced many trials and tribulations throughout his scientific career because his beliefs generally went against the beliefs of the Catholic Church and the Pope.  Galileo influenced the science world of his era as well as the science world of the future all while facing many hardships and troubles thrown at him by the Catholic Church.  Galileo's sparking of the Scientific Revolution as well as his future influence causing the Enlightenment period occurred throughout a period of judgment by the Catholic Church making him one of the greatest scientists of all time.


Galileo influenced the science world of his own era by sparking the Scientific Revolution.  He began the period of time where a myriad of scientific discoveries came about.  He also had an impact on many of the scientists of this time period.  Galileo began the domino effect that would influence so many scientists throughout the world during the period of his scientific work.  Without Galileo's insight, many things believed now would have taken a longer time to prove or may have never been proved.  Galileo proved that the Milky Way was made up of stars, and that the Earth revolved around the sun rather than the other way around.  He also proved that the moon was mountainous with rough terrain, much like the Earth.  He gained many of these discoveries through the use of his telescope which he made based on the model of another scientist's.  Without Galileo's discoveries many things may not have been found out about that seem like common knowledge today.


Galileo influenced the science world of the future in many important ways.  Galileo believed that the solar system was heliocentric, which was controversial at the time, but eventually was proven true and is now an accepted concept in the scientific world.  Galileo helped to inspire the laws of motion created by Sir Isaac Newton after his own time.  Without the laws of motion people would not even understand how basic movements cause of the things to occur.  Galileo also had a huge impact on the Enlightenment period, which was a time of great discoveries for the scientific world.  Scientists learned so many things about the universe and how things work.  The ideas of the period of Enlightenment have been carried on into the present day, and can even lead to more discoveries and breakthroughs in the future.  Galileo's beginning of the Scientific Revolution lead to the period of Enlightenment, which will lead to discoveries of the present, and even to discoveries of the future.


Galileo's beliefs were extremely controversial and went against the beliefs of the Catholic Church and the Pope on many occasions.  One of these beliefs was that the solar system was heliocentric.  This means that the sun is in the center of the solar system and all of the other planets revolve around the sun.  The beliefs of the Catholic Church are that the solar system is geocentric.  This means that the Earth is in the center of the solar system and all of the other planets revolve around the earth.  The Pope told Galileo to deny these beliefs, but he refused.  Because of this Galileo was tried at the Inquisition and was found guilty of heresy.  Galileo was forced to denounce his beliefs in front of the entire Inquisition, which he begrudgingly did, and was sentenced to time in prison.  Galileo was ill and they allowed him to be on house arrest where he remained for the rest of his life.  Galileo was a perfect example of what was going on at the time.  This is because the Church disagreed with his beliefs and imprisoned him, which is what happened to many scientists and philosophers of the time.


Galileo was one of the most influential scientists in history.  Primarily because of his belief that the solar system is heliocentric.  Galileo faced many trying times thrown at him from the Catholic Church and the Pope due to his beliefs, but he stuck by them until the very end.  His determination and belief in his work gave way to immense opportunities for the scientific world as well as many different discoveries that are essential for the way the world works today.  Galileo's works will continue to influence the science world's discoveries far into the future.