CPL310 9/28/2004 More on "Life of Galileo" Scene 3: Why is Sagredo afraid? Of what the church will do Of the implications of the truth Sagredo asks where God is: Galileo says inside us or nowhere -- does he mean God is a projection of us? -- does he mean God is a spirit which is everywhere [what did the first cosmonaut say on his trip into space? "I've been looking all around; no sign of God"] Galileo says he believes in humanity and in human reason. Galileo has to go to Florence for money; Sagredo warns him of another scientist who was burned at the stake for saying the same things as Galileo. Scene 4 Question of truth blended with aesthetics combination of science and philosophy -- Dr Hye's Doktormutter told him to read about Heisenberg; there's something in there about Brecht and physics and philosophy -- Heisenberg wrote a book called "Physics and Philosophy" -- Copenhagen is about Heisenberg coming there to meet with Neal Bore -- Dr. Hye played soccer in the park where they met Philosopher tells Galileo that we shouldn't search for things that will destroy our harmony. Galileo says we must see the truth, ugly or not. Philosopher appeals to the authority of Aristotle. Galileo says that supreme curiosity is everywhere, even among the dock workers. Scene 5 Galileo is called to the Collegium Romanum (the College of Rome, now called the Gregorian College). Scene 6 A monk is mad and asks "Does the Bible lie?" The cardinal called Galileo an enemy of mankind for transferring humanity from the center of creation to its outskirts. Why would God send his son there? Also the cardinal gets self worth from being the center of the universe. He talks about man being immortal and then collapses just then. Clavius says Galileo is right and it's time for theologians to reconcile that with the Bible. Scene 7 Bellarmin says he read some astronomy and says it's harder to get rid of than the itch. -- even after Galileo recants, he can't get rid of the itch either, which is why he continues to write his Discourses [from the book The Ascent of Man, which we're to read a chapter of for Friday from course reserves: Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle was a lesson for us in this age; As a scientist, as a human whose family died at Auschwitz, I must say that we hae to cure ourselves of the itch for absolute certainty and absolute power; Heisenberg says we'll never know everything with certainty] Galileo and Barbarini duel with Biblical quotes. -- then they argue about whether the human brain or men's reason is It is not given to man to know the truth but only to search after the truth. Scene 8 Dr Hye's favorite scene [7 in his translation; how do different translations have different scene numbers?!] The little monk is also a trained physicist. He sees the truth but understands its danger. The monk comes from peasants whose hard life is sustained only by their faith and their lives' order. -- the truth could disrupt both their faith and life's order The monk says we must be silent for the peole's good (a parallel to Moebius, the scientist in the Physicists who decides he must be silent). -- also a parallel to some British scientist who wrote a letter with Einstein asking Roosevelt to do atomic research because they knew the Germans were doing it; after the Germans were defeated, he wanted the US not to use the bomb The little monk says the truth will get out on its own; Galileo says scientists have a duty to push truth out. Galileo entices the monk with the manuscript to read. -- parellel to a line in Inherit the Wind -- the manuscript is like the apple from the tree of knowledge; the monk can't resist it Scene 9 Galileo is quiet for 8 years but finally has to speak -- he's starting to research sunspots Mrs Sarti shivers whenever she hears Galileo and Andreas laughing. -- they're giddy at finding new knowledge? -- they're laughing at established knowledge? The pope is on his deathbed. They hope for a scientist in the chair of St. Peter. Galileo says "my intention is not to prove that I was right but just to find out whether I was right" [contrast to Dr Stockman who was trying to prove that he was right] Scene 10 Carnival scene; impact of findings on the common people [Einstein and Heisenberg's ideas hae been popularized by many, including Brecht in "A Man's a Man"] In this scene a ballad singer tells of Galileo's findings -- just as the heavens went around in obedient circles so did people here on earth, each in his place -- Galileo is leading to anarchy Scene ends with someone yelling, "Galileo, the Bible killer!" Scene 11 Galileo is summoned to Rome He tells his daughter that he has only written a book; what people do with it is not his concern. [ that's why people are upset with scientists who discover atomic bombs but don't worry about the consequences] Scene 12 New pope and the cardinal inquisitor -- pope putting on his official robes transformed from sympathetic scientist to someone responsible for the church and the impliciation of Galileo's findings</plaintext><br /></body></html>