  I offer a revisionist interpretation of Galileo's role in the history of
science. My overarching thesis is that Galileo lacked technical ability in
mathematics, and that this can be seen as directly explaining numerous aspects
of his life's work. I suggest that it is precisely because he was bad at
mathematics that Galileo was keen on experiment and empiricism, and eagerly
adopted the telescope. His reliance on these hands-on modes of research was not
a pioneering contribution to scientific method, but a last resort of a mind ill
equipped to make a contribution on mathematical grounds. Likewise, it is
precisely because he was bad at mathematics that Galileo expounded at length
about basic principles of scientific method. "Those who can't do, teach." The
vision of science articulated by Galileo was less original than is commonly
assumed. It had long been taken for granted by mathematicians, who, however,
did not stop to pontificate about such things in philosophical prose because
they were too busy doing advanced scientific work.
