Answer those questions - Essay Example

Q Galileo’s two chief scientific contributions include “heliocentric theory” and the dynamic use of telescope. During his era, it was basically believed that earth was the centre of the solar system (“geocentric model”). Galileo postulated the “heliocentric model”, which means, the sun is the centre of the solar system. Galileo by improving the earlier model of telescope was able to utilize it astronomical observations. He identified and termed the “sunspots”, which occur on the surface of the sun.

With reference to sunspots, he was able to conclude that earth might spin on its own axis. In addition to it, he identified the 4 moons of the Jupiter and proved to the world that, it is possible for a planet to have moons, which rotate around them. His major astronomical observation was that of ‘Venus’. Galileo developed formulas related to various functioning of the machines and also invented many machines. Galileo fight with “machines” is referred to that of the fight with the problem of objectivity of science.

He laid out model for solving all types of motion (machine).He argued that, “the problems of floating bodies could be reduced to Archimedean principle”. Galileo faced conflicts with the Roman Catholic Church. It is usually portrayed as the conflict between the science and the religion, but it is not as simple as that, as it was very deep. Copernican science and Aristotelian science became the Church tradition. It was a conflict of these. Galileo presented his scientific views in support of Copernicus as well as his biblical views in a “letter to the Grand Duchess of Tuscany” (1615).

It became the reason of his first Church trial and censure. For the “Church”, if Aristotle was found to be wrong, Christianity was wrong.When Galileo revealed the idea presented in his book, he was charged with unorthodoxy or heresy. This was due to the published “Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems”. This was found offensive and unpleasant to the Cardinal-turned-Pope Urban VIII. Therefore, the Pope requested that his ideas and views be presented and published as part of his writing.

But, the writing was as a dialogue between three characters, in which the popes ideas was represented by the dumbest character, "Simplicius". Due to this, he was arrested.Q.2. Swift in Voyage to Laputa, says that the behaviour and attitude of the animals depicted was very orderly and “rational”. It was also quite acute and judicious. Therefore, he tried to conclude that they must be magicians. He encounters two types of inhabitants: the “rational” Houyhnhnms and the vicious, crude Yahoos.

Swift supported the view that, though man is a rational animal, his rationality is not always used for good. Therefore, he thinks, one should not hold up rationality as the greatest human quality, as many Enlightenment thinkers did. In human condition, Swift felt man was susceptible to commit sin. Gulliver sees the tiny Lilliputians as being vicious and unscrupulous, and then the king of Brobdingnag sees Europe in exactly the same light. Gulliver sees the Laputians as unreasonable, and Gullivers Houyhnhnm master sees humanity as equally so.

This became a big deal that, the term "Lilliputian" entered many languages. A brand of cigar called “Lilliput” was introduced. A series of collectible model-houses were came to be called as "Lilliput Lane". The smallest light bulb fitting which is 5mm in diameter in the ‘Edison screw series’ was called the "Lilliput Edison screw".Q.4. Darwin postulated the “theory of evolution”. And by natural selection, his theory undermined religious certainty and the sense of human uniqueness. His theory had far-reaching implications in the arts.

His notion indicates that human beings were driven by the same impulses as "lower animals" and thereby proved to be difficult to reconcile with the idea of an ennobling spirituality. This section began with the notion that what experience cannot question it cannot support. Many feel that theory has no empirical support. Darwin’s work had many controversies with liberal and progressive intellectuals climbing on board almost instantly and many conservative evangelicals launching their strongest counter campaigns.

Darwin’s theory with respect to social impact, states the term “survival of the fittest”. This implies that only the merciless will survive. Darwin’s theory related to psychology reveals the belief that there are psychological differences between groups of people, which could be seen due to differences in brain structure or in biological terms “neophrenology”. In Darwin’s theory, the evolution of a particular culture is the Darwinian selection process that acts on cultural variation.

According to Darwin, the economic and social differences between races, sexes and classes were part of the natural order, which is the necessary part of evolution.Q.5. Yes, “Impressionism” was a revolutionary movement in painting. It was centered in France, during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In his history of Renaissance painters, in the collection of critical essays “Appreciations”, Pater says he does not see his way to any manner of objective interpretation. A critic can only answer one question: "What is this song or picture to me?

" This reduces the function of a critic to an impressionistic description of his own sensations in connection with art. Impressionism also characterizes Paters fiction , “Marius the Epicurean”. Some of the unique techniques used by impressionist were, they used short, thick strokes of paint to impasto. In pure Impressionism the use of black paint was avoided. It was painting during evening to get “effets de soir” and the the play of natural light is emphasized.