Friends with the Pope | The engineer

Religion and natural science are seen as opposites. Incorrectly, it appears Creating science.

In 1608, Hans Lipperhey applied for a patent in Middelburg for a device that could suddenly bring distant objects closer. Galileo Galilei heard about this and decided to make something similar. In 1610, an Italian astronomer observed the phases of Venus using it. The fact that the planet appears to pass behind the Sun proves that the geocentric model that has been accepted since ancient times cannot be correct.

Astronomers such as Kepler and Copernicus soon followed with equally exciting discoveries. What distinguishes these founders of modern science? All three were “devoted believers,” as historian of science Stuart Matheson wrote in a wide-ranging article Creating science. Copernicus was a priest, Kepler had trained as a Lutheran minister, and Galileo was a friend of Pope Urban VIII.

Grip on existence

Throughout the ages, man has always tried to control existence and his place in the universe. The answer to existential questions has traditionally been sought in the starry sky, mythology and religion.

In the sixteenth century, a tool was added: science. The new knowledge this generated and the prevailing religious worldview had to relate to each other, creating a special dynamic.

This dynamic is essential for anyone exhibition At the Catharijneconvent Museum in Utrecht, on display until 2 June 2024. Rich illustrations index It seems like a journey of discovery in itself for the reader, from the sixteenth century to the present.

Despite current secularization, Christianity appears to have had a multifaceted and enduring presence in the development of science.

Creating science
Lekki Wijnia Essam 192 pages | 34.95 euros

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