Galileo and His Tricks

Throughout the text of Galileo’s Dialogue on the Two World Systems, he attempts to denounce one of the systems, while promoting the other system. Yet he makes this attempt in a humorous way, trying to safeguard himself from his enemies who were trying to crush him.

Galileo has two main characters debating between a Geocentric and a Heliocentric universe. The man debating on the Geocentric side’s name is Simplicio. This name was not an accident; Galileo had a point to his name. His point was that the people in favor of a Geocentric universe were simple minded and unwilling to even consider any change to what they had known for many, many years. The other character, who is a substitute for Galileo himself, is named Salviati. This man argues that the universe is set up in a Heliocentric way. This man uses reason and science to defend his answers, while simultaneously refuting Simplicio.

What Galileo attempts to do, is show both sides of the raging debate of his time. He shows the accepted point of view, that of Simplicio’s, and of the new view, his own, which is coming under extreme criticism. By showing these different views in a funny, light-hearted way, Galileo hopes to sway some people his direction, or at least open their minds to the possibility that the old idea might be wrong. While succeeding is making a light, yet fact-ridden dialogue, Galileo gives himself away as the author by clearly promoting a Heliocentric universe. The fact that he named the Geocentric debater ‘Simplicio’ says a lot for itself.