The story
Compound of Galileo + gambit (“stratagem, tactic”). Named after Galileo Galilei, who was persecuted by the Church for his beliefs.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Galileo gambit
Today it means: Purposeful attraction of criticism or ridicule for the purpose of portraying one's argument as oppressed and therefore correct. Also, the argument that one is correct due to such opposition. Full definition →