Ivan Malara: Galileo and the Almagest, c.1589¿1592, Gebunden

Klappentext

This book offers a groundbreaking exploration of Galileo Galilei s engagement with the Almagest, Claudius Ptolemy s second-century scientific work on the motions of stars and planetary paths. Contrary to the belief that Galileo had little interest in Ptolemaic astronomy, the author investigates whether Ptolemy influenced Galileo s shift to Copernicanism, the theory that Earth and all other planets revolve around the Sun. This inquiry is pursued through a detailed examination of Galileo s early writings on motion, namely the so-called De motu antiquiora (c. 1589-1592). By contextualizing Galileo s initial reception of Ptolemy, the book reveals a fascinating historical backdrop, highlighting how the Almagest was intended to be read and studied in Galileo s milieu during the last decades of the sixteenth century. The author challenges the conventional Ptolemaic-Aristotelian label by showing that early Galileo adhered to a Ptolemaic, yet non-Aristotelian, cosmology supported by an Archimedean-like rationale. Additionally, the book underscores the often-overlooked impact of Theon of Alexandriäs commentary on the Almagest in the sixteenth- and seventeenth-century reception of Ptolemy, suggesting it as one of Galileo s potential sources. Offering valuable insights for historians of science and early modern astronomy, this book illuminates Galileo s intricate relationship with astronomical and philosophical ideas, emphasizing the need to re-examine his intellectual journey within a nuanced historical framework.