Galileo & Physics
Galileo’s Approach:
- Use observation (like Aristotle)
- In addition, Galileo saw the need for controlled experiments to search for simpler descriptions (like the Platonic ideals) behind the complicated details
Dialogue on Two New Sciences published in 1636 concerning laws of motion.
The Problem: Describe the motion of freely falling bodies toward the Earth. Contrast with the predictions of Aristotle and his followers