The present paper focuses on Galileo's conception of perception. I take as my starting point the interpretation of the Galilean text by Piccolino and Wade (2008, Perception37 1312–1340): Galileo's eye: a new vision of the senses in the work of Galileo Galilei. Three points are discussed: the criticism of naive realism, the theoretical role of perceptual laws, and the distinction between different qualities of experience. The conclusions support an alternative interpretation which underscores the crucial role of phenomenology of perception in Galileo's epistemology.
BaronciniG, 1992“Galileo e I‘esperienza sensata’”, in Forme di Esperienza e Rivoluzione Scientifica Ed. BaronciniG, (Florence: Olschki) pp 63–101
2.
BolzanoB, 1837Wissenschaftslehre. Versuch einer ausführlichen und grösstentheils neuen Darstellung der Logik mit steter Rücksicht aufderen bisherige Bearbeiter (Sulzbach: Seidl). English translation by GeorgeR, Theory of Science (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1972)
3.
BoyleR, 1666“The Origin of Forms and Qualities”, in The Works of the Honourable Robert Boylevolume II, pp 451–542
4.
BozziP, 1990Fisica Ingenua (Milano: Garzanti)
5.
BozziP, 1995“Le ragioni si Simplicio, ossia la base percettiva del moto pendolare e della discesa lungo i piano inclinati”. in Galileo e la Scienza Sperimentale Ed. CeolinM B, (Padua: Dipartimento di Fisica “Galileo Galilei”) pp 105–132
6.
BurttE A, 1932The Metaphysical Foundations of Modern Physical Science (London: Routledge & Kegan Paul)
7.
CassirerE, 1906–1907Das Erkenntnisproblem in der Philosophie und Wissenschaft der neueren Zeit (Berlin: Bruno Cassirer). English translation by WoglomWHendelC W, The Problem of Knowledge: Philosophy, Science and History Since Hegel (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1950)
8.
DrakeS, 1957Discoveries and Opinions of Galileo (New York: Doubleday)
9.
DrakeS, 1974Two New Sciences (Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press)
10.
DrakeS, 1977“Galileo on sense experience and foundations of physics”his68108–110
11.
DrakeS, 1978Galileo at Work (Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press)
12.
DuhemP, 1914La théorie physique: Son object et sa structure (Paris: Marcel Rivière). English translation by WienerP, The Aim and Structure of Physical Theory (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press)
13.
FoschiRLeoneM, 2009“Galileo, measurement of the velocity of light, and the reaction times”Perception381251–1259
14.
GalileoG, 1611a“Note alla Dianoia Astronomica, Optica, Physica di Francesco Sizzi”, in Le Opere di Galileo Galileivolume III, Ed. FavaroA, (Florence: Giunti Barbera, 1889–1909)
15.
GalileoG, 1611b“Lettera a Cristoforo Grienberger, del 1 settembre 1611”, in Le Opere di Galileo Galileivolume XI, Ed. FavaroA, (Florence: Giunti Barbera, 1889–1909)
16.
GalileoG, 1623“II Saggiatore”, in Le Opere di Galileo Galileivolume VI, Ed. FavaroA, (Florence: Giunti Barbera, 1889–1909). English translation by DrakeS, in Discoveries and Opinions of Galileo (New York: Doubleday, 1957)
17.
GalileoG, 1638“Discorso intorno a due nuove scienze”, in Le Opere di Galileo Galileivolume VIII Ed. FavaroA, (Florence: Giunti Barbera, 1889–1909). English translation by DrakeS, in Two New Sciences (Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press, 1974)
18.
GalileoG, 1640a“Lettera al principe Leopoldo dei Medici, del 31 marzo 1640”, in Galileo Galilei: La prosa pp 505–554) Eds Del LungoIFavaroA, (Florence: Sansoni, 1967)
19.
GalileoG, 1640b“Lettera a Fortunio Liceti, del 15 settembre 1640”, in Le Opere di Galileo Galileivolume XVIII, Ed. FavaroA, (Florence: Giunti Barbera, 1889–1909). English translation by DrakeS, in Galileo, A Very Short Introduction (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1980)
20.
GeymonatL, 1957Galileo Galilei (Turin: Einaudi). English translation by DrakeS, in Galileo Galilei: A Biography and Inquiry into His Philosophy of Science (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1965)
21.
GilliesD, 1993Philosophy of Science in the Twentieth Century: Four Central Themes (Oxford: Blackwell)
22.
GurwitschA, 1978“Galilean physics in the light of Husserl's phenomenology”, in Phenomenology and Sociology Ed. LuckmannT, (New York: Penguin) pp 71–89
23.
HusserlE, 1900Logische Untersuchungen. Erster Band: Prolegomena zur reinen Logik Husserliana XVIII (Tübingen: Max Niemeyer). English translation by FindlayJ N, in Logical Investigations (London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1913)
24.
HusserlE, 1959Die Krisis der europäischen Wissenschaften und die transzendentale Phenomenologie (The Hague: Nijhoff). English translation by CarrD, in The Crisis of European Sciences and Transcendental Phenomenology (Evanston, IL: Northwestern University Press, 1970)
25.
KöhlerW, 1938The Place of Value in a World of Facts (New York: Liveright)
26.
PiccolinoM, 2007“I sensi, l'ambiguità, la conoscenza nell'opera di Galileo”Galilana, Journal of Galilean Studies4245–278
27.
PiccolinoMWadeN J, 2008a“Galileo's eye: A new vision of the senses in the work of Galileo Galilei”Perception371312–1340
28.
PiccolinoMWadeN J, 2008b“Galileo Galilei's vision of the senses”Trends in the Neurosciences31585–590
29.
PiccolinoMWadeN J, 2009“Galileo e i segni dei sensi”Sapere August, 56–63
30.
SinicoM, 2010“Explanation in experimental phenomenology: The nomic, deterministic and modal domain”Gestalt Theory32293–306
31.
SinicoM, 2012, “Virtus osservativa nel linguaggio scientifico-letterario di Galileo”, in Filosofia e Scienza Ed. ToccafondiF, (Florence: Le Lettere)
32.
StumpfC, 1907“Zur Einteilung der Wissenschaften”Abhandlungen der Preussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, philosophisch-historische Klasse51–94
33.
WadeN J, 2007“Galileo and the senses: Vision and the art of deception”Galilceana4259–288
