Galileo Galilei Many individuals in history have been accredited for numerous accomplishments like Galileo Galilei, the first known physicist. Although he was not considered a physicist in his time, he provided procedures and results that lie at the heart of what is known today as physics. In Galileo Galilei, James MacLachlan explores the personality, thought processes, scientific discoveries, and life of an important figure who helped to shape our understanding of the natural world. As a youth, Galileo was engaged into mathematics even though his father, Vincenzio, intended for him to become a doctor to support his family