General Philosophy 1.4 From Galileo to Descartes
Feb 19, 2010
Discover the groundbreaking clash between Galileo and Aristotle over motion, where inertia takes center stage. Delve into Descartes' quest for a firm philosophical foundation that reshaped knowledge. Explore his mechanistic view of the universe and insights on God and existence. Uncover the fascinating concepts of mind-body dualism and how these ideas set the stage for modern science.
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Galileo's Inertia
- Galileo challenged Aristotle's view that matter strives.
- He proposed that matter is inert and continues in uniform motion unless a force acts upon it.
Celestial Composition
- Galileo argued against the Aristotelian belief in a special ether composing celestial bodies.
- He posited that celestial bodies, like Earth, are made of ordinary matter subject to the same physical laws.
Descartes and Skepticism
- René Descartes, a key figure in modern philosophy, challenged Aristotelian tradition using skepticism.
- He argued that only science resistant to skeptical arguments is credible.
