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Despite extensive study of the Galileo affair in recent years, there are still some important documents relating to the case which have received little attention in the English-speaking world. In his translation of Thomas Campanella's Apologia pro Galileo, Richard J. Blackwell presents for the first time in English a reliable and highly readable translation of this important and neglected work. Campanella, the maverick Dominican, sought to head off the confrontation between Galileo and the theologians by defending Galileo's right to develop, debate, and publish his ideas freely. By making available at last a well-documented English version of this treatise--one in which the theological dimensions of the dispute receive their clearest presentation yet--Blackwell makes a worthy contribution to a heightened awareness of the doctrinal issues in the Galileo affairs. Written in 1616 while Campanella was imprisoned by the Inquisition, the Apologia pro Galileo was banned in Rome at the time of its publication in 1622, therefore having little influence on the outcome of the Galileo case. However, then as now it stands as an important document calling for intellectual freedom as related to the Galileo case in particular, and as a plea for intellectual freedom in general.
“It is ... well worth having this short work made accessible.... The part of the introduction dealing with Campanella’s defense of Galileo is succinct and helpful, and the translation and annotations are good.” —Nature
“Blackwell here presents for the first time in English a reliable and highly readable translation of this neglected work. Campanella, the maverick Dominican, sought to head off the confrontation between Galileo and the theologians by defending Galileo's right to develop, debate, and publish his ideas freely. Written in 1616 while Campanella was imprisoned by the Inquisition, the Apologia por Galileo was banned in Rome at the time of its publication in 1622, therefore having little influence on the outcome of the case.” —Translation Review
“. . . A welcome addition to the literature on the Galileo affair and on the controversy between science and religion.” —Isis
"Blackwell gives us a long-needed, reliable, and well-documented English version of Campanella's Defense, a most worthy contribution to the continuing research on these topics." —Theological Studies
With hindsight we can now see that the advice Campanella insinuates in his third chapter was capable of heading off, at its very inception, the long controversy over science and Scripture that was provoked by Galileo's advocacy." —Catholic Historical Review
"With hindsight we can now see that the advice Campanella insinuates in his third chapter was capable of heading off, at its very inception, the long controversy over science and Scripture that was provoked by Galileo's advocacy." —Journal of the History of Philosophy
"Blackwell supplies not only a good translation but also a good, though brief, introduction and excellent notes....students of "the Galileo affair" should ponder Campanella's arguments in Blackwell's readable translation." —Sixteenth Century Journal
"Written from prison in Naples, probably just prior to the condemnation of Copernicanism in 1616, but not published until 1622, and then promptly banned in Rome, Campanella's tract in support of Galileo did not have and impact on the course of events...and it is essential that we have access to it as we try to gain a better understanding of the mentalily and motives of the Church representatives in the Galileo affair. Blackwell's new transation of this work thus fills a need in the English-speaking world." —Annals of Science
Richard J. Blackwell used to hold the Danforth Chair in the Humanities at St. Louis University. He is now Professor Emeritus of Philosophy.