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How Galileo dropped the ball and Fermat picked it up

Bryan W. Roberts

pp. 337-356

Abstract

This paper introduces a little-known episode in the history of physics, in which a mathematical proof by Pierre Fermat vindicated Galileo’s characterization of freefall. The first part of the paper reviews the historical context leading up to Fermat’s proof. The second part illustrates how a physical and a mathematical insight enabled Fermat’s result, and that a simple modification would satisfy any of Fermat’s critics. The result is an illustration of how a purely theoretical argument can settle an apparently empirical debate.

Publication details

Published in:

(2011) Synthese 180 (3).

Pages: 337-356

DOI: 10.1007/s11229-009-9705-7

Full citation:

Roberts Bryan W. (2011) „How Galileo dropped the ball and Fermat picked it up“. Synthese 180 (3), 337–356.