June 5, 2010. For the first time the Vatican has published one part of the 16th century documents related to Science and natural Philosophy censored by the Inquisition. The archives, which were opened for studying 12 years ago, have allowed researchers to better understand the work of different Vatican departments at that time, their selection criteria as well and its controversy.
Ugo Baldini
General Editor
“We are trying to find all of the documents about the main scientific cases related to the Inquisition. At least about Galileo and other scientists from 1,600. We believe we have found all that was left.”
Paolo Casini
Emeritus Professor, History of Modern Philosophy, Rome
“In these volumes you can see only the beginning of what would become concerns about impeding, stopping the progress of study, over all in the astronomy area.”
The principle contradiction they have found is that the ecclesiastical censors were not prepared scientifically, but from a theological or philosophical point of view.
So when members of the Inquisition started to study some documents, more specifically the ones related with astrology, they catalogued them as hidden science. Two of the most affected astronomers were Copernicus and Galileo.
Paolo Casini
Emeritus Professor, History of Modern Philosophy, Rome
“Galileo would position himself before the verses of the Bible. It provokes because the Copernicus system started to become considered not just unacceptable, but also prohibited because it was against reason and experience.”
Ugo Baldini
General Editor
“We have learned that many ideas from the past where unfounded. For example, Galileo was not tortured. He was jailed for a few days, following the rules of the Holy Office because they could only jail a person during they days of the interrogation.”
This volume is only the first of four volumes they will edit. The next volume will reveal censored documents from the 17th century and examine the process of Galileo.
PVB/IS/AM
FF- GDP
-WP-
