Bio4270 –
History of Biology (2018)
Steve Carr
Discussion Notes on “Life
of Galileo”
(1975), American Film Theatre
The movie
is based on a stage play by the playwright Bertolt
Brecht (1898 – 1956), who fled Nazi Germany and
lived for a number of years
in America. Most of his plays are political, from a
Marxist perspective. Here,
Brecht considers the life and work of the Italian
physicist Galileo
Galilei (1564 - 1642), remembered
popularly for the examination by the Inquisition of his
book Dialogues
Concern
the Two Chief Word Systems
(1632), which propounded
a geocentric
theory of the Solar
System, as opposed to the accepted heliocentric
system. Placed under house arrest, he secretly wrote a Discourses
concerning
Two New Sciences (1638)
describing two new physical
systems.
1.
Brecht’s
Galileo can be viewed as a
somewhat harried and anachronistic 21st cent.
university professor. What
is his teaching style? How does he interact with his
students?
2.
Galileo is
divided between his need
to find practical applications of his science, versus his
desire to do science
for its own sake. How does he balance the two?
3.
Consider
Galileo’s deployment of the
telescope. If he got the idea from a model imported from
the Netherlands,
should he be given credit? Why or why not?
a.
Does this
anticipate the controversy
over Photo
51 in who gets credit for the structure of
DNA?
4.
Several
versions of Galileo
exist, as well as several
translations. It was originally written in German and
produced in Switzerland
in 1943. Brecht revised it after the War in English, when
it was produced in
1947, and it is this version that was filmed by the AFT in
1975.
a.
What changed
in science before and
after the war?
b.
Some argue
that Galileo anticipates questions raised in
the Oppenheimer
AEC
Security hearings of 1954, where
Robert Oppenheimer’s scientific
service as “Father
of the Atomic Bomb”
during the war was juxtaposed to a political inquisition
associated with
his opposition to development of the H-Bomb.
c.
See Heinar
Kipphardt’s (1922 - 1982) “In the
Matter of J. Robert Oppenheimer,” which is
influenced by Brecht’s theory of
the theater.
5.
What is the
importance of Technology
in Galileo’s time? Does technology lead science, or vice versa?
6.
The Galileo
incident is often viewed
as a conflict between Science and the (Catholic) Church.
Is this accurate? Has
the Church reconsidered its views on Galileo?
7.
Reflect on
the following quotes:
a.
“Do
you know what the Milky Way is made of?”
“No.” “I do.”
b.
“I
will not set the Church up against the multiplication
table!”
c.
“I
wonder if I know your Father Confessor?”
d.
“He
may be shown the instruments.”
e. Andrea: "Unhappy the land that has no heroes."
Galileo: "No,
Andrea: Unhappy
is the land that needs a hero."