Galileo Reading Qohelet: Seeing the World with “Curiosity’s Eye”

This essay examines Galileo’s reading of Ecclesiastes 3:11, which he cited in his letter to the Grand Duchess Christina in 1615 at the beginning of his trial for heresy. Why would Galileo have used this text in support of his intellectual inquiry? Three critical components of his intellectual enviro...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Balentine, Samuel E. 1950- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Brill 2021
In: Biblical interpretation
Year: 2021, Volume: 29, Issue: 3, Pages: 332-357
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Bible. Kohelet 3,11 / Galilei, Galileo 1564-1642 / Research / Curiosity / Culture / Imagination
IxTheo Classification:HB Old Testament
KAH Church history 1648-1913; modern history
Further subjects:B scientific inquiry
B Imagination
B Curiosity
B Ecclesiastes 3:11
B Qohelet
B Galileo
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Description
Summary:This essay examines Galileo’s reading of Ecclesiastes 3:11, which he cited in his letter to the Grand Duchess Christina in 1615 at the beginning of his trial for heresy. Why would Galileo have used this text in support of his intellectual inquiry? Three critical components of his intellectual environment are explored: 1) the development of scientific inquiry within the 17th c system of patronage; 2) the culture of curiosity that sustains his intellectual inquiry; and 3) the telescope and the transformation of human imagination.
ISSN:1568-5152
Contains:Enthalten in: Biblical interpretation
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1163/15685152-00284P24