Unit VI: The Early Modern Era

The Scientific Revolution

Opposing Views of God and the Universe Medieval Vs. Early Modern Era *God created everything (creationism) *God controlled all aspects of life *God finished creation, then left the world to progress on its own *He controlled even minute details and daily occurrences *He gave man free-will *He only intervened when necessary -the Flood, wars, the Black Death, etc. Called the Divine Puppet Master theory Called the Divine Clockmaker theory

A. The Renaissance inspired curiosity! 1. Traditional beliefs and ideas began to be questioned 2. Many began to ask… a. Who am I? b. What is the purpose of my life? B. The transition from the Middle Ages to early modern times 1. Represented a shift in Belief systems a. from “authoritative” truth to “factual” truth b. Religious Authority vs. Intellectual Authority 2. Why the conflict?

C. It was an intellectual revolution 1.Theories about humanity’s place in the universe and its connection to the physical world 2. Began in Medieval Universities: a. The Renaissance beliefs b. The Scientific Method D. New math and sciences were developed to handle the questions and problems brought up in this new intellectual world 1. Calculus 2. Physics 3. Chemistry

E. Two instruments change the world of science 1. Microscope a. Included not only multiple-lens designs, but also very simple single lens devices -such as a magnifying glass 2. Telescope a. First developed in Asia -Arabia via the crusades b. First used to view distance on battlefields c. First developed by a man named Hans Lippershey in Further developed by Galileo Galilei d. Galileo was able to view the moon (first to see its surface up close) -realized certain stars were in fact “planets”

F. The Universe 1. Classical/Medieval View a. The Earth-centered model -Aristotle and Ptolemy (Greek ‘scientists’) *believed planets, stars, sun and moon orbit the Earth on fixed spheres -Held sway over Western thinking for almost 2000 years *supported by the RCC and Bible -Geocentric Theory: Sun and planets revolve around the earth 2. Renaissance View a. The Sun-centered model -Proposed by Nicolaus Copernicus *using the telescope he discovered in fact the earth was revolving around the sun -Heliocentric Theory: The sun is the center of the universe

Important Scientists/Thinkers of the Scientific Revolution A. Nicolaus Copernicus ( ) 1. Worked in secrecy for 30 years to avoid persecution 2. He published On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Bodies 3. He proposed the Heliocentric theory B. Johannes Kepler ( ) 1. Used mathematics to prove the heliocentric theory 2. He created a mathematical ordering of the planets 3. Developed the laws of planetary motion C. Galileo Galilei ( ) 1. Galileo perfected the telescope 2. Further proved the heliocentric model 3. Arrived at the correct relationships for distance, velocity, inertia, and acceleration 4. Published Laws of Motion D. Sir Isaac Newton ( ) 1. He developed a systematic explanation of physical laws 2. Explained the movement of the planets with the laws of gravity and inertia

Church Opposition A. New Humanist Ideas 1. Seen as a threat to church beliefs, doctrines and traditions 2. Went against the Bible and theology 3. The Church used intimidation and threats to prevent scientists and thinkers from spreading new ideas B. Inquisition or “put to the question” 1. Developed to eliminate Church opposition and the scientific revolution 2. One could be charged with heresy and forced to recant via torture -differing religions and scientific beliefs targeted 3. RCC Church was losing power, wealth and control