Opinionated History of Mathematics

Latest Episodes:

The telescope Apr 06, 2019

Show notes

The telescope offered a shortcut to stardom for Galileo. We offer some fun cynical twists on the standard story. Transcript The year is 1609. What a time to be alive. In London you can go to the theatre and catch the fresh new play Macbeth. In Amsterdam you can make a quick buck trading in … Continue reading The telescope

Heliocentrism before the telescope Mar 09, 2019

Show notes

Galileo is credited with defeating Ptolemaic earth-centered astronomy, but most mathematical astronomers had already abandoned this theory long before Galileo. Transcript Does the earth move around the sun, or is it the other way around? Copernicus worked out the right answer long before Galileo was even born, as did the best Greeks mathematicians thousands of … Continue reading Heliocentrism before the telescope

Heliocentrism in antiquity Feb 11, 2019

Show notes

Two thousand years before Galileo, Greek astronomers argued that the heavenly bodies revolve around the sun. Their reasoning involved sophisticated mathematics and sound physical considerations. Transcript Is the earth the center of the universe? Or does it orbit around the sun? The Greeks had some interesting ideas about this. For example, the earth is basically … Continue reading Heliocentrism in antiquity

Galileo’s theory of tides Jan 18, 2019

Show notes

Galileo dismissed the notion that the moon influences the tides as “childish” and “occult.” Instead he argued that tides are a kind of sloshing due to the motion of the earth. This very poor theory is inconsistent with several of his own scientific principles. Transcript At the end of his famous Dialogue, Galileo lists what … Continue reading Galileo’s theory of tides

Why Galileo is like Nostradamus Dec 27, 2018

Show notes

Galileo committed scores of errors in his physics. These are bad in themselves and also undermine Galileo’s claim to credit for the things he did get right. Transcript Nostradamus published a famous book of prophesies in 1555. Some people like to praise him for having predicted the future. Allegedly he foresaw all kinds of things … Continue reading Why Galileo is like Nostradamus

Galileo’s errors on projectile motion and inertia Dec 10, 2018

Show notes

Galileo gets credit he does not deserve for the parabolic nature of projectile motion, the law of inertia, and the “Galilean” principle of relativity. In reality, his treatments of all of these matters were riddled with errors and fundamental misunderstandings. Transcript Pick up a rock and throw it in front of you. It makes a … Continue reading Galileo’s errors on projectile motion and inertia

The case against Galileo on the law of fall Nov 29, 2018

Show notes

Galileo is praised for his work on falling bodies, but his arguments were dishonest and his trifling discoveries were not new. Transcript In 1971, Apollo 15 astronauts conducted a famous experiment on the moon. Here’s a bit of the original recording: “In my left hand I have a feather. In my right hand a hammer. … Continue reading The case against Galileo on the law of fall

Galilean science in antiquity? Nov 21, 2018

Show notes

Ancient Greek scientists studied the dynamics of falling bodies. Were “Galileo’s” discoveries anticipated in these treatises that have since been lost? This question leads to a bigger one regarding relativism versus universalism in the history of thought. Transcript Quiz! Who said the following: “The study of mechanics is eagerly pursued by all those interested in … Continue reading Galilean science in antiquity?

Mathematics versus philosophy, then and now Nov 21, 2018

Show notes

Divergent interpretations of Galileo’s alleged greatness cut across disciplinary divides: mathematics versus philosophy, science versus humanities. Understanding Galileo means dealing with these fundamental tensions. Transcript Those who can’t do, teach. I’m sure you have heard this saying. It sums up Galileo’s role in the history of scientific thought, in my opinion. Galileo’s books are “Science … Continue reading Mathematics versus philosophy, then and now

Galileo bad, Archimedes good Nov 21, 2018

Show notes

Galileo's bumbling attempts at determining the area of the cycloid suggests a radical new interpretation of his scientific opus. Archimedes's work on floating bodies is an example of excellent Greek science that has not been sufficiently appreciated. Transcript Galileo is the most overrated figure in the history of science. That’s the thesis of Season 1 … Continue reading Galileo bad, Archimedes good