Galileo Galilei was an Italian renaissance man who made significant contributions to the sciences of motion, astronomy, and to the development of the scientific method. He is best known for improving the telescope to gain better knowledge of the planets and stars.

Galileo sought knowledge from a variety of disciplines, and his discoveries led him to believe the Earth and planets revolve around the sun. Although he championed for this belief, it was challenging because most people during his time believed the Earth was at the center of the Universe and all planets orbited Earth.

Because of Galileo’s views, he was sentenced to house arrest for the rest of his life. Nonetheless, he was a central figure in the scientific Renaissance, and contributed greatly to the scientific community.

Below are 19 of Galileo Galilei’s most influential sayings:

1. “We cannot teach people anything; we can only help them discover it within themselves.”- Galileo Galilei

2. “The sun, with all those planets revolving around it and dependent on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as if it had nothing else in the universe to do.”- Galileo Galilei

3. “All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them.”- Galileo Galilei

4. “I give infinite thanks to God, who has been pleased to make me the first observer of marvelous things.”- Galileo Galilei

5. “The Milky Way is nothing else but a mass of innumerable stars planted together in clusters.”- Galileo Galilei

6. “Where the senses fail us, reason must step in.”- Galileo Galilei

7. “Measure what is measurable, and make measurable what is not so.”- Galileo Galilei

8. “Who would set a limit to the mind of man? Who would dare assert that we know all there is to be known?”- Galileo Galilei

9. “You can’t teach anybody anything, only make them realize the answers are already inside them.”- Galileo Galilei

10. “In the sciences, the authority of thousands of opinions is not worth as much as one tiny spark of reason in an individual man.”- Galileo Galilei

11. “Knowing thyself, that is the greatest wisdom.”- Galileo Galilei

12. “To be humane, we must ever be ready to pronounce that wise, ingenious and modest statement ‘I do not know’.”- Galileo Galilei

13. “The greatest wisdom is to get to know oneself.” – Galileo Galilei

14. “Two truths cannot contradict one another.” – Galileo Galilei

15. “The Bible shows the way to go to heaven, not the way the heavens go.”- Galileo Galilei

16. “I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night.” – Galileo Galilei

17. “With regard to matters requiring thought: the less people know and understand about them, the more positively they attempt to argue concerning them.”- Galileo Galilei

18. “Mathematics is the language with which God has written the universe.”- Galileo Galilei

19. “There are those who reason well, but they are greatly outnumbered by those who reason badly.”- Galileo Galilei

Which one of Galileo’s quotes resonated most with you and why? Let us know your thoughts below!