Alison Abbott,
Andrew Dickson White,
Catholic Church,
Christianity,
climate change,
creationism,
Discovery Institute,
Faith & Science,
Galileo Affair,
Galileo and the Science Deniers,
Galileo Galilei,
Heresy,
historicity,
Inquisition,
Intelligent Design,
John William Draper,
Jonathan Wells,
Leaning Tower of Pisa,
Mario Livio,
Michael Keas,
Nature (journal),
Nicolaus Copernicus,
public schools,
religion,
science denialism,
science deniers,
Tychonian model,
Unbelievable?,
Urban VIII,
Warfare Thesis,
Zombie Science
A useful myth is hard to put down. The Galileo myth gives a premiere illustration. Ever since John William Draper and Andrew Dickson White fostered the “warfare thesis” of “science vs religion” in the late 19th century, appealing to the Galileo affair as the example par excellence, historians have had little luck convincing the scientific establishment that their version of the Galileo story is flawed. Fortunately, we have the new book by Michael Keas to help set the story straight: Unbelievable: 7 Myths About the History and Future of Science and Religion. Keas traces the development of the warfare thesis through the 19th century. Despite being largely discredited by historians, the warfare thesis lives on into our time. For instance, Mario Livio has a new book out, Galileo and the…