The Nationality of Galileo: A Historical Perspective

[arildno]

Ahh that damnable topic of Palestine existence again!


Try telling that to a Palestine person.

Well, they would be dead wrong, there does not exist any conceptions among Arabs in the palestine region up to the second world war or up to the sixties that there are some sort of national distinctness between themselvs and other Arabs.
The Palestinian national identity, undoubtedly existing TODAY is one of the most recent national identities in the world.
But that is in itself no reason to argue it doesn¨t exist or isn't genuine

 

[rootX]

Well, they would be dead wrong, there does not exist any conceptions among Arabs in the palestine region up to the second world war or up to the sixties that there are some sort of national distinctness between themselvs and other Arabs.
The Palestinian national identity, undoubtedly existing TODAY is one of the most recent national identities in the world.
But that is in itself no reason to argue it doesn¨t exist or isn't genuine

People already argued in circles in PW&A without proving or disapproving anything before, for gods sake, the topic was banned. You can go dig those threads again, you wouldn't find a single thread ending with conclusion of yours.

Bringing this emotional topic again is just wrong.

 

[arildno]

It wasn't me who brought the topic up in the first place, that was JS, and I just made a short comment. Then you started harping on it.

 

[Evo]

Ok, no more emotionally charged topics.

 

[Borek]

Ok, no more emotionally charged topics.

You mean we are closing relationship forum?

 

[Evo]

you mean we are closing relationship forum?

lol.

 

[arildno]

Ok, no more emotionally charged topics.

Ok:
Let's discuss:
Is American patriotism anything else than mere gobbledeegook about a flag and the constit
ooootion, or is it founded upon something less superficial than that?

 

[Ken Natton]

Okay. One last attempt to defend myself against what I have been subjected to here. But let me start by owning one thing, you are right arildno, ‘nationalism’ was the wrong choice of word – it has associations of extremist politics, often of racism, it is not what this discussion was about, and not actually what I intended. However, it was an honest error, not what you wish to present it as.

But I did not make any assertions about what you do and do not think. I stand by my assertion that to describe Galileo as Italian or Beethoven as German is to impose a modern sense of nationality on a past that pre-dates it, but at that point, arildno, it is a case of – if the cap fits then wear it. I get it – you don’t agree with me, and I am perfectly comfortable with that. I am baffled as to why you are quite so offended by it.

And Jimmy, the perceived relevance of the Palestinian people to this discussion is a function of your logic train, not mine. That is not, and never was, what I was talking about.

So, since this has long since passed the point of being a discussion of interest to anyone else, and I am as guilty as you of perpetuating it, I have to decide to bow out of it now. If you wish to continue, that is your right, but can I suggest that you stick to asserting what your opinion is and what you mean and what you intend, and cease to tell me what I think and what I mean and what I intend, because you have yet to get that right.

 

[arildno]

"But I did not make any assertions about what you do and do not think. I stand by my assertion that to describe Galileo as Italian or Beethoven as German is to impose a modern sense of nationality on a past that pre-dates it, but at that point, arildno, it is a case of – if the cap fits then wear it. I get it – you don’t agree with me, and I am perfectly comfortable with that. I am baffled as to why you are quite so offended by it.2

Finishing off on my side:
I don't see why it "imposes" a MODERN sense of Italianness on Galileo to regard him as an "Italian" when he, amply proved by jimmy Snyder, regarded himself as an "Italian".

An Italian of the 17th century is evidently something else than an Italian of the 21st century. But, nonetheless, an..Italian, because he himself ascribes to that particular idea.