# Galileo Galilei's finest quotes

From The Assayer, the Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems and his letters: Galileo's lines with their source. No 'Eppur si muove', which appears in no 17th-century document.

- 7 votes · 13 items
- Dec 28, 2022 · Elena Barbieri
- https://even.best/en/l/3024/galileo-galilei-s-finest-quotes

## Top 13

1. **Philosophy is written in this grand book that stands continually open before our eyes (I mean the universe)…** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — The Assayer (1623), ch. 6: 'It is written in the language of mathematics'.
2. **… the intention of the Holy Spirit is to teach us how to go to heaven, not how the heavens go.** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — Letter to the Grand Duchess Christina (1615), quoting a churchman.
3. **Anyone can speak obscurely; very few can speak clearly.** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — Considerations on Tasso.
4. **See then the power of truth: while you try to knock it down, your very attacks raise it up and strengthen it.** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems (1632), second day.
5. **I spent there the eighteen best years of my whole life.** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — Letter to Fortunio Liceti (1640), on his years in Padua.
6. **… in science the authority of a thousand opinions is not worth a single spark of reason in one man.** (0 · ▲1 ▼1) — History and Demonstrations Concerning Sunspots (1613).
7. **I value finding one truth, even about a trifle, more than arguing at length about the greatest questions without reaching any truth.** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Literary writings.
8. **… doubt in philosophy is the father of invention, opening the way to the discovery of truth.** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Correspondence 1639-1642.
9. **… being ignorant is nothing other than not resting content with the truth.** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Errors of Giorgio Coresio.
10. **… reasoning is like running, not like carrying, and one Barbary horse alone will outrun a hundred Frisians.** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — The Assayer (1623), ch. 45.
11. **In natural proofs one must not look for geometric precision.** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems (1632), first day.
12. **One must admit that trying to deal with natural questions without geometry is attempting the impossible.** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems (1632), second day.
13. **How can fools ever be silenced, if while you refute one of their follies they come at you with a bigger one?** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Fragments replying to L. delle Colombe and V. di Grazia.

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