•Written as a
debate between 3 people
–Salviati Copernican advocate – (really
Galileo)
–Sagredo Intelligent but uninformed
–Simplicio Aristotelian philosopher – not
very bright
–
•Hoped to
avoid earlier ruling by not directly advocating Copernican model
•Actually
made things worse by convincing accusers they were “Simplicio”
•
•1633
Inquisition condemns him for violating 1616 order
–Something
like modern “contempt of court” ruling
–Proceeding
not a re-argument of Copernican vs. Aristotelian debate
–But forced
to recant, admitting “errors”
•Sentenced
to life imprisonment –actually “house arrest”
•Dies in
1642
•Pope John
Paul II finally makes some amends 350 years later.