ABSTRACT
TheGalileocontroversyhadthreeaspects:astronomical,philosophical andreligious.Thesethreestrandswereintertwinedsothatitisdifficult toseparatethem.Theastronomicalargumentwasoverthemodelof theuniverseputforwardbyCopernicusagainstthetraditionalmodelof Ptolemy.Thephilosophicalargumentwasoverthenatureofcelestial matteraslaiddownbyAristotle.Thereligiousargumentwasoverthe interpretationofScripture.Ofthesethefirstandthethirdarethemost obvious;butanumberofauthoritiesholdthatthebasicconflictwas betweenGalileoandentrenchedAristoteliansintheuniversities.
