Thomas Mayer to Speak in Glasscock Center Lecture Series: “How Do We Keep Knowing”

The Melbern G. Glasscock Center for Humanities Research is pleased to announce the next public lecture in our continuing Glasscock Center Lecture Series, “How Do We Keep Knowing.” Professor Thomas Mayer of Augustana College, will present his paper entitled “Trying Galileo” at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, 24 April, 2007 in the Glasscock Building, Room 311.

Professor Mayer has published widely on many aspects of Early Modern Europe, including the study of Cardinal Reginald Pole, the Tudor Commonwealth, and early modern Catholicism. His publications include The Correspondence of Reginald Pole (2002), Reginald Pole, Prince and Prophet (2000), and Thomas Starkey and the Commonweal: Humanist Politics and Religion in the Reign of Henry VIII (1989).

In his talk, Professor Mayer will discuss the 1633 trial of Galileo by the Roman Inquisition and offer a “political and procedural interpretation” of the opposition between the famous scientist and papal authorities. Mayer suggests that Galileo’s punishment – internal exile – was not enough to prevent publication of his work in northern Europe or to erase its influence on thinkers like René Descartes. Galileo is thus directly implicated in the separation of reason and feeling in Western thought. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, see our website http://glasscock.tamu.edu/Programs Activities/ , or contact the Glasscock Center at 979-845-8328.