| 1. How does Galileo argue that conflicting statements and arguments between the bible and the results of scientific investigation should be resolved? He is nevertheless eager to show that science and religion are compatible. How does he do that? |
Galileo argues that differences between scientific findings and the words of the bible can be explained by the fact that the bible "may say things which are quite different from
what its bare words signify" (4). That is, the intended meaning may be different from the literal one. Therefore, we should use science as an aid in determining the intended meaning: "having arrived at any certainties in physics, we ought to utilize these as
the most appropriate aids in the true exposition of the Bible and in the investigation of those meanings
which are necessarily contained therein, for these must be concordant with demonstrated truths" (5). This works because the intended meaning of the bible is always true according to Galileo, and thus must agree with scientific facts. So not only is science compatible with religion, but it can enhance study of the bible by providing insights into passages where physical situations are described ambiguously or inaccurately for some reason. For example, science allows us to understand that the bible describes air as a "void," not because we are actually supposed to believe that it contains nothing, but in order to make conform with the beliefs of the common people at the time it was written and therefore make its more important messages about faith more accessible.
It's also important to expostulate with the ideas and opinions of those who outspokenly decry the advancements of science and reason. Many of these, whom Galileo describes as "the garrulous old woman, the doting old man, and the prattling sophist" prevent the cohesion of theology and scientific study simply because they do not know any better and are vocalizing their opinions. Because they are not aware or in denial of alternative interpretations of the bible, they stubbornly stymie the progress of science, believing that there can only be one correct truth. These people are not willing to believe that the truth can lie outside the scriptures, and so they preach their uneducated gibberish to restrict further thought. The absence of these figures would enable the valid coexistence of science and theology.
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