Philosophical Underpinnings of 20th Century Galilean Scholarship: How Metaphysics Shapes our Understanding of Modern Science

Modern science started with Galileo's heroic break with medieval and theological superstition - or so many of us were told. This traditional narrative was subjected to critical scrutiny by 20th century scholars. Yet their detailed studies led to strikingly different conclusions about Galileo. Some confirmed the traditional narrative, emphasising Galileo's experimental work. Others argued that Galileo's 'physics' described a non-empirical, mathematical realm. A third group described him as largely unoriginal, a figure immersed in his contemporary controversies. Who is right? My hypothesis is that these different assessments can be traced to fundamental philosophical differences among the historians who advance them.