Galileo is one of the greatest scientists the world has ever seen. He made major contributions to the fields of physics, astronomy, cosmology, mathematics, and philosophy. He overcame many struggles and changed the way people look at the heavens. Galileo was one of the first to use the scientific method and many historians credit him for being the “founder of modern experimental science”.
Galileo Galilei was born on February 15, 1564 in Pisa, Italy. He was the eldest of seven children born to Vincenzo Galilei who was a well-known musician and skilled mathematician, and Giulia Ammannati who was educated and came from a noble family that lost its power. The family moved to Florence in 1574 where Galileo started his education at the Camaldoleese monastery in Vallombrosa when he was ten years old.
As a child Galileo was a very curious and intelligent red haired boy who liked painting and music. He also made little mechanical toys for his own entertainment. Like his father Galileo would not except an idea as truth only because everybody else believed it. Vincenzo liked to experiment with his music and did not follow the strict rules of …show more content…
Most of what Galileo studied were Aristotle’s ideas. Aristotle was an ancient Greek philosopher. The Catholic Church believed that his ideas were the most accurate of the time, and since they often supported the Bible they could not be challenged. However, Galileo did not like his studies and wanted to learn new material. He wanted to be a monk when he grew up, but his father wanted him to study medicine and become a doctor. Therefore, in 1581 Galileo was sent to the University of Pisa to study medicine. He did not like the subject much and became more fascinated in mathematics and physics. In 1585 Galileo left the university before getting his degree due to financial difficulties. He continued his studies