I sensi, l'ambiguità, la conoscenza nell'opera di Galileo

The special attention paid by Galileo to the problem of sensory physiology and particularly to visual appearances is dealt with in this study. The critical analysis of sensory data played an important role in his path of discovery. In many of his writings, Galileo considers the possible fallacious nature of the immediate sensible appearances and analyses them with reference to a series of logical arguments which clearly illustrate the depth of his reflections on sensory mechanisms. The philosophical framework within which Galileo develops his general approach toward sensory physiology is in contrast with Aristotle’s doctrine of the ‘proper’ and ‘common sensibles’, and it correlates with his own mechanistic conception of sensory processes. Although derived from the atomistic theories of Democritus and Lucretius, Galileo’s conception appears to be modern and it can be seen as foreshadowing some fundamental aspects of present day sensory physiology.