Discussion Questions 10/16 1.In what way was Aristotle and Ptolemy’s view of the solar system different from Copernicus, Galileo, and Newton? 2.Bacon is credited with starting empiricism. What is it? How does it advance science? 3.What did Galileo do with his telescope that no one had ever done before?

DQ Cont. 4.What did Galileo discover by doing this? What was Descartes famous for creating? What was Galileo charged with? What were some of Pascal’s ideas about faith and science? How was Johannes Kepler instrumental in proving Copernicus’ Theory?

John Locke and Thomas Hobbes

John Locke One of the most influential people of the 18 th century Trained in medicine = knew Newton = connected to science Combined practical and theoretical Letters on Toleration –Organized religion good (except Roman Catholic and Atheist) –One relied to much on foreign alliances and one had no morals

Locke cont. Reasonableness of Christianity –Helped soften friction between religion and science –Religion looses supernatural & is shut into common sense Essay Concerning the Human Understanding –is it possible to know anything w/ certainty? –How is knowledge arrived at? –Answer: Experience and observation –Agreed with Bacon, empiricism

Tabula Rasa Locke says we are born and are blank tablets Environment shapes the way people think or believe So bad ideas, bad actions, caused by bad environment or education Gave confidence in idea of social progress What is most important in shaping people’s environment? (government)

Political Theory – School of Natural Law What ought to be done? Machiavelli The Prince –Separated politics from theology & moral philosophy Any means necessary –Showed how the behaved, but now how ought they behave

Natural Right or Natural Law Right from wrong Universal, the same for all Humans are rational animals Everyone has the same powers of reason Will be challenged in 20 th century when Freud comes along

“Law of Nations” Hugo Grotius – Law of War & Peace Samuel Pufundorf – Law of Nature and of Nations –Sovereign states should work together for the common good –Freedom of the seas –Immunity of ambassadors

Thomas Hobbes Supports absolutism English Sided with king Disliked disorder & violence Humans have no capacity for self govt Opinion of human nature v low

“State of Nature” People in a “state of nature” – or with govt – are quarrelsome & turbulent, forever at war Life in the state of nature was “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, & short” To avoid this, people came together to form a “contract” – surrendering their freedom of action into the rulers hands. No one was to question govt Govt must become a Leviathan (monster) Leviathan 1651

Influences of Hobbes Govt was a device created by human purpose Not divine Free rational agreement “Social Contract”

John Locke Constitutionalism Two Treatises of Government 1688 –Had more faith in humans than Hobbes –People in the “state of nature” were reasonable & well disposed, willing to get along, moral sense, & possessed by nature certain rights (not govt, but natural, everyone) Life, liberty, property –Property big, possession of land

Locke cont. Govt created by contract – but not unconditional –Mutual obligations People must be reasonable (only rational creatures can be politically free) Govt must protect If govt breaks contract people can rebel Resist is dangerous but loss of liberty even more dangerous

Liberty is not anarchy of undisciplined will, it is the freedom to act without compulsion by another –Not doing whatever you want, but not being told what to do

Influences of Locke All revolutions of 18 th century American Revolution –Declaration of Independence almost a direct quote of Locke French Revolution