The quest for truth and justice

Galileo’s middle finger?! And how exactly is Galileo or his middle finger relevant to heretics, activists and social justice? The relic of Galileo’s middle finger, author Alice Dreger tells us, is preserved in Florence, Italy, placed pointing skywards – something which she has interpreted aptly and humorously as a message from Galileo, the heretic, to the world at large. Subsequently, this mummified member is perceived by the author as a personal talisman: are minder (albeit a mythical one) of Galileo “as a person who could see beyond his own needs”. She adds that it may “take a hundred years and a thousand people” to sort out who or what is right; that maybe the best that can be done at this time is to share the truth as you see it with all. Seeking the truth and justice at all costs is the central focus of this book however arduous that journey might be.