Reviews

On Trial For Reason: Science, Religion, and Culture in the Galileo Affair by Maurice A. Finocchiaro

mabeaver84's review

5.0

Galileo combined scientific empiricism and human rationality to defend Copernicanism, and by reflecting on his methods of argument we can build a useful model of critical reasoning.

tcranenj's review

5.0

The story of Galileo vs the Catholic Church is more interesting and nuanced than you know. Finocchiaro explores the original trial and the equally important series of reactions in the 400 years since. Detailed and organized throughout, “On Trial for Reason” is not light reading but it does an admirable job of setting a lot of the record straight. Highly recommended for readers willing to get into the scientific, historical, and philosophical weeds of this well-know but misunderstood intellectual shift.