Problem
Why, according to W.E.B. Du Bois' essay "Galileo Galilei," was Galileo prosecuted by the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church? What was the outcome of that prosecution? Confronted with the opposition of the mighty Catholic Church and the threat of Inquisition, Galileo abdicated and recanted his scientific theory, as W.E.B. Du Bois explains in his essay "Galileo Galilei." According to you, was Galileo a coward? Whether a coward or not, can Galileo be justified for recanting his theory in the face of persecution? Why or why not? According to you, do we have a moral obligation to stand up for the truth, even if we risk our life in the process? Defend your view.