Galileo Meets Shakespeare Stars in Their Eyes: Galileo Meets Shakespeare

SitE: GmS A presentation of: Gloria McMillan, PI Research Associate, Department of English, University of Arizona

SitE: GmS Co-PI: Christopher Impey, Prof. in Department of Astronomy, Univ. of Arizona Director of Production: Howard Allen With Coyote Moon Films, Ltd.

How We Started Relations between science and the humanities have not been as friendly as they might have been...

How We Started The humanities has had its doubts about science since the ancient Greeks—maybe before. Yuck! Techné—the work of slaves! TECHNÉ is the Greek root of “technology.”

How We Started And we knew that this nastiness between the humanities and sciences was holding up solutions to many pressing global problems.

How We Started This was in part because humanities scholars have always viewed scientists as . . .well. . .

How We Started Or perhaps more like. . .you get the picture. Dr. Strangelove

How We Started Of course, scientists thought humanities writers and teachers were just. . .fuzzy. (And not in a good way.)

How We Started An impressive group of scholars rallied to this idea. The time had come to seek common ground!

Our Next Moves We sought that bridge of mutual understanding. Common ground. A truce. But where? Our mentor at the Jet Propulsion Lab, Bill Whitney, said to look for a project…

Our Next Moves We thought hard. . .Galileo and Shakespeare were born in the same year: 1564! They could have met (although chances are, they did not.) 1564

Our Next Moves How would I have related to…? Me? Galileo Galilei

Our Next Moves A script! A script! My kingdom for a script…

The Script Our experts and script writers knew that they needed to find both conflict and harmony. They hit on the fact that telescopes were on London docks by 1609 and Shakespeare could have used one.

The Script So this “bard” was on my astronomical turf, but I, Galileo, was a great writer, as well! You? A writer? A founder of Italian literature! Galileo Galilei

You, Sirrah! What did you ever write? The Script Our script goes on in much this way with—hopefully—growing mutual appreciation. (Take it easy, boys!) You, Sirrah! What did you ever write? Actually. . .no. Actually. . .no. And you call yourself civilized? The impudence! Have you not heard of Dialogues on the Two Chief World Systems? Galileo Galilei

The Book Enough idle chatter! You have a great treasure in your university library! My Sidereus Nuncius. First edition. Galileo Galilei

The Play Books Our script writing team will make good use of this historic volume in the University of Arizona’s Special Collections. Our noble friend need not fear.

The Play Books It goes without saying that my plays will feature throughout this dramatic presentation!

Our Consultants David Levy, co-script writer and chief consultant, Comet Discoverer and Pres. of the National Sharing the Sky Foundation. Frederick Kiefer, Prof. of English, Shakespearean Expert, Univ. of Arizona Darko Suvin, Cultural Theorist, Brecht Scholar, MacGill University, Emeritus Ewen Whitaker, co-founder Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona Gary Mechler, Lead Faculty, STEM Division, at Pima Community College in Tucson, Arizona

Our Consultants Maurice Finocchiaro, Distinguished professor of Philosophy, Emeritus, at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas R. D. (Bob) Joseph, astronomer in the Institute for Astronomy (IfA), the University of Hawaii, Manoa. Nick Campion, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Archaeology, History and Anthropology, University of Wales, Lampeter . Frederick Kellogg, Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Arizona. Arthur J. Harris , Prof. Emeritus of English at Eastern Michigan University .

Stay tuned for more from our starry messengers. SitE: GmS Stay tuned for more from our starry messengers.