Rick Perry and Galileo

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What’s the difference between

Rick Perry and Galileo?

One was a scientific genius

arrested for his thoughts

The other one is a Texas politician

In last nights GOP debate Rick Perry mumbled and stumbled his way through an answer on climate change, saying, “Well I do agree that the science is not settled on this. The idea that we would put America’s economy at jeopardy based on stumble science that’s not settled yet mumble. Galileo got outvoted for a spell.” Yes Governor Perry, he was “outvoted” for a spell, by ignorance.

Was Rick Perry comparing his willful skepticism to Galileo’s scientific genius? It certainly seems to be the case. Earlier this week Perry’s college transcripts were published. He graduated from Texas A&M with a 2.4 average.

galileo,rick perry climate changeRick Perry got an A for praying

Rick Perry’s scientific credentials – Perry originally attended Texas A&M University to pursue a pre-veterinary major but switched to animal sciences, reportedly because of his low GPA. In his freshman and sophomore year, Perry struggled with core science classes, earning D’s in several organic chemistry classes and C’s in general chemistry and physics.

But after Perry switched his major at the beginning of his fall semester in 1970, his grades didn’t improve. Perry got a C in Reproduction in Farm Animals, a C in genetics, a D in Feeds & Feeding, a C in Sheep & Angora Goat Production and two C’s in animal breeding classes.

Many of Perry’s other classes involved military education. Perry has previously credited his time in the A&M Corps of Cadets with giving him the necessary discipline to complete school.

Perry got two C’s in Development of Air Power and took four levels of World Military Systems, earning two C’s, a B and an A. The A was one of only two Perry earned at college — the other was for a class called Improv. of Learning.

The future governor only took one political science class while he was in school — American National Government, for which he earned a B. Other classes outside of Perry’s major included Shakespeare and Writing for Professional Men, which earned him two D’s.

Perry took two summer sessions before his senior year but still needed two more after the rest of his class graduated to complete a degree. He graduated in August of 1972.

galileo,rick perry climate changeGalileo was arrested for thinking – That’s an A in my book

Galileo Galilei’s scientific credentials – Born in 1564, he was commonly known as Galileo, he was an Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer and philosopher who played a major role in the Scientific Revolution. His achievements include improvements to the telescope and consequent astronomical observations, and support for Copernicanism. Galileo has been called the “father of modern observational astronomy”, the “father of modern physics”, the “father of science”, and “the Father of Modern Science”. According to Stephen Hawking, “Galileo, perhaps more than any other single person, was responsible for the birth of modern science”.

The motion of uniformly accelerated objects, taught in nearly all high school and introductory college physics courses, was studied by Galileo as the subject of kinematics. His contributions to observational astronomy include the telescopic confirmation of the phases of Venus, the discovery of the four largest satellites of Jupiter (named the Galilean moons in his honor), and the observation and analysis of sunspots. Galileo also worked in applied science and technology, inventing an improved military compass and other instruments.

Galileo’s championing of heliocentrism was controversial within his lifetime, when most subscribed to either geocentrism or the Tychonic system. He met with opposition from astronomers, who doubted heliocentrism due to the absence of an observed stellar parallax. The matter was investigated by the Roman Inquisition in 1615, and they concluded that it could only be supported as a possibility, not as an established fact. Galileo later defended his views in Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems, which appeared to attack pope Urban VIII and thus alienated him and the Jesuits who had both supported Galileo up until this point. He was tried by the Inquisition, found “vehemently suspect of heresy”, forced to recant, and spent the rest of his life under house arrest. It was while Galileo was under house arrest that he wrote one of his finest works, Two New Sciences. Here he summarized the work he had done some forty years earlier, on the two sciences now called kinematics and strength of materials.
 

About Post Author

Holte Ender

Holte Ender will always try to see your point of view, but sometimes it is hard to stick his head that far up his @$$.
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12 years ago

One thing the article doesn’t point out is that the evidence at the time of Galileo was squarely _against_ Galileo’s views. Galileo had 15 years to come up with any evidence showing that the Copernican system was superior to the Tychonic system, and he could not come up with anything at all.

The simple fact is that _astronomers_ (not clerics) disagreed with Galileo based on the evidence available at the time, and this was true _even before the Church turned anti-copernican_.

For a longer discussion, see http://firebones.hubpages.com/hub/Media-misconstrues-Perry-and-Galileo-perpetuating-science-history-myths

12 years ago

And Americans are considering Rick Perry as a possible candidate for President? May the “Sun” god help us all.

Jess
12 years ago

Perry, it has been said many times, is the candidate for those who think commander cuckoo bananas was too cerebral. I think it was Paul Begala, coined that nugget.

Scary to think any one of these assclowns could be >< that close to the WH is it not. We have Michele, one L crazy eyes, talking about caliphates, Ron Paul doing an imitation of a drunk Keebler elf talking about, we'll all be fenced in if we put up a fence, Cain saying something something, about 999 and his jobs plan. Science is for liberals, the Bible can't be wrong.

Jess
Reply to  Holte Ender
12 years ago

I’m already looking for my next husband in other countries if any of them are voted in. My current husband is not too pleased about that, he’ll get over it though. I’ve got the in with someone who is related to a Scottish guy and will be keeping him in mind, should I need it 🙂

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