[A new twist on an old favorite]
Did you know that Galileo Galilei also known as the "father of modern astronomy", as the "father of modern physics", and as the "father of science" admitted he was wrong regarding a heliocentric universe a year before his death?
45 comments
Under the threat of inquisition, he did recant, but many years before his death. He published a book mocking the pope that he recanted, not the heliocentric universe, fucktard.
wow. I wonder what this guy's definition of "admit" is. Never heard of torture, son? Or the threat thereof? Or execution? Or, come to that, history texts?
No, he didn't. That's why he had a hemlock smoothie. I believe you're thinking of Socrates.
1) "Admission" under threat of torture and/or death is not generally considered evidence of anything, other than a desire to live.
2) The opinion of any person is irrelevant to the truth of a theory. Even if he had seriously believed he was wrong, we can be pretty damn sure he wasn't.
Galileo's last words on his deathbed were, "E pur si muove."
Which means, "Nevertheless, it moves."
Learn some history. Moron.
is this like the christian claim that Darwin recanted and became christian before he died?
Yes and no. I'm pretty sure that Galileo did renounce it publicly to avoid persecution by the Church, unlike Darwin (in his case, the whole story was made up). However, he still believed his theory - he just pretended otherwise so as not to get killed.
is this like the christian claim that Darwin recanted and became christian before he died?
Darwin had complex religious views, from orthodoxy at first (he studied to be a clergyman) to near-atheism towards the end of his life. He described himself as an agnostic, but his anti-Christian views hardened as he grew older.
Of course, that's all moot. It has no bearing whatsoever on the veracity of the Theory of Evolution. But fundies are so fond of the "appeal to expert" logical falsehood:
1. Evolution and Christianity are incompatible
2. Darwin embraced Christianity at the last.
3. Evolution is wrong.
You have to have been blessed with a liberal dose of the stupid to miss the illogic in that train of thought.
Did you know that God also known as the "Lord", as "Yahweh," and as "Jehova" admitted he was wrong regarding the Bible yesterday?
Specifically, he said that all the rules on what to eat and what to wear are somewhat meaningless, since no one ever follows them. The only rule in there that people do follow is the one about mandatory heterosexuality, and that's a bad idea, although God said that it sounded good at the time, when Mrs. God accused him of having an affair with a male angel. God also said that kicking out Adam and Eve for doing something they didn't know was wrong was also a dumb idea. "If I could do it all over again," said God, "I wouldn't have put that tree in the garden in the first place." Mrs. God added: "Why not simply let them eat the apple?"
When I hear stupid arguments like this, I like to shrug my shoulders, take an unimaginably indifferent expression, and say:
"So fucking what?"
And even if he did and meant it (I'm almost positive he didn't) but even if he did, does that mean the endless number of scientists who verified his theories were all wrong.
RE: Tiny Bulcher, the Christian in me has to tell you you're wrong, it never actually says that
Physics? I think you meant Newton that.
Science? No, science totally predated Galileo.
Who cares? Ad hominems are illogical.
At gunpoint.
Your point?
Did you know that the Catholic Church finally apologized? Recently?
Idiot.
I wish you a slow, agonizingly painful death.
Because Galileo never did that just as Darwin never did it?
When Hawkings or Hitchens or Dawkins dies how long will it take these guys to lie about some confession of wrongness? This tactic has been used about Sagan too, a few years after his death. In these modern, more connected times it'll be faster to spread lies.
Ray Comfort and Eric Hovind's got them written already, I'll bet.
Galileo Galilei [...] admitted he was wrong regarding a heliocentric universe a year before his death?
Just as numerous american soldiers recanted democracy and declared their allegiance to communism in vietcong camps after becoming prisoners of war in the vietnam war, or admitted to have done "crimes against humanity". For example, John McCain , who was forced under torture by the North Vietnamese to write a 'confession' that he was a "war criminal":
http://www.snopes.com/politics/mccain/warcriminal.asp
Does this mean to honor Galileo's recantation, all of the fundes are going to recant all of their claims and admit they are completely wrong regarding religion, science, and evolution?
Even if that were true, it would just mean that he died wrong. Putting aside stellar parallax and the basics of gravity & physics, we've already seen the system from well beyond our world. We win. Period. Much like the question of whether the moon is a light source, the discussion is over. Permanently.
Confused?
So were we! You can find all of this, and more, on Fundies Say the Darndest Things!
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