Galileo, measurement of the velocity of light, and the reaction times.
According to the commonly accepted view, Galileo Galilei devised in 1638 an experiment that seemed able to show that the velocity of light is finite. An analysis of archival material shows that two decades later members of the Florence scientific society Accademia del Cimento followed Galileo guidelines by actually attempting to measure the velocity of light and suggesting improvements. This analysis also reveals a fundamental difference between Galileo's and Florence academy's methodologies and that Galileo's experiment was, in some respects, a pioneering work affecting also the history of the psychology of perception.
Foschi
Renato
R
Facoltà di Psicologial, Università di Roma La Sapienza, I 00185 Rome, Italy. renato.foschi@uniroma1.it
Leone
Matteo
M
D036262:Empirical Research; D005197:Famous Persons; D049670:History, 17th Century; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008027:Light; D055095:Optics and Photonics / Q000266:history*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*