1564 – 1642. Italian physicist, theorist of mechanics, astronomer, mathematician, philosopher. Founder of experimental physics. Was the first to use a telescope to observe celestial bodies. “And yet it revolves” were not his words.
Quotes:
1. There is no greater hatred in the world than the hatred of knowledge by the ignorant.
2. See now the power of truth: you try to refute it, but your very attacks elevate it and give it great value.
3. Everyone can speak in a confused manner, and only a few can speak clearly.
4. Nothing great has been done in the world without passion.
5. I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with senses, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use.
6. Philosophy is written in this grand book, which stands continually open before our eyes (I say the Universe), but can not be understood without first learning to comprehend the language and know the characters as it is written. It is written in mathematical language, and its characters are triangles, circles and other geometric figures, without which it is impossible to humanly understand a word; without these one is wandering in a dark labyrinth.
7. It must be admitted that an attempt to interpret natural problems without geometry is an attempt to do the impossible.
8. It seems to me that logic teaches us to know whether conclusions are correctly drawn from ready-made arguments and proofs; but for it to be able to teach us how to find and build such arguments and proofs – that's what I don't believe in.
9. The mind of a man is the creation of God, and yet one of the most excellent creations.
10. In the acts of nature the God is no less admiring to us than in the divine verses of the Scripture.
