The Scientific Revolution

During the Medieval period, from where did natural philosophers (early versions of scientists) get their scientific knowledge? Ancient writers, namely Aristotle 2. Unlike modern scientists, medieval thinkers did not, for the most part, do what? Systematically observe the world

3. How did the Renaissance shake up medieval views on science? Renaissance scholars discovered other ancient writers that did NOT agree with Aristotle 4. How did technology help launch a European scientific revolution? New technologies and methods made the world more measurable and observable

5. What were some examples of these new technologies that came before and during the Scientific Revolution? Telescopes Microscopes Printing Presses New mathematical techniques

6. The ancient Roman-Era thinker, Ptolemy (c. 90 AD to c 6. The ancient Roman-Era thinker, Ptolemy (c. 90 AD to c. 168 AD) argued that the center of the universe was what? The Earth 7. Thus, in Ptolemy’s view, the universe was what? Geocentric (Earth-centered)

8. Under the Ptolemaic view, what revolves around the Earth? The Planets, Sun, and moon 9. Under the Ptolemaic view, what do the stars do? They are fixed in place, and are unmoving orbs of pure light

10. Under the Ptolemaic system, the structure of the universe seems to reflect what? Simple common sense 11. How does the Ptolemaic universe seem to reflect simple common sense? Well…the sun SEEMS to rise in the east, move across the sky each day, and sets in the west. The Earth SEEMS to sit still while the daytime sun moves across the sky as do the night-time planets

12. In the night-time sky, what do the stars appear to do? They SEEM to be sitting still 13. In the Ptolemaic view of the universe, what existed beyond the Stars? Heaven

14. In the Ptolemaic universe, what SEEMED to be at the center of the universe besides the Earth? God’s signature creation: Human Beings 15. The Ptolemaic view of the universe SEEMED to be the perfect complement to whose view of the universe? The Catholic Church’s…and some of the later Protestants

16. In his 1543 book, what did Nicholas Copernicus (a Polish amateur astronomer) argue about the structure of the universe? He argued that the universe was Heliocentric (Sun-Centered) and NOT Geocentric (Earth-Centered) 17. In Copernicus’s view, what sat at the center of the universe? The Sun

18. In the Copernican universe, what revolved around the Sun? The Earth and the Planets 19. On what matter did Copernicus still agree with Ptolemy? He still believed that the stars were fixed in place

20. In addition to its revolving around the sun, what else did Copernicus argue about the movement of the Earth? Copernicus argued that the Earth rotated on its axis, thus creating the illusion that Sun was moving around the earth. Thus the 24 hour complete rotation of the Earth created the alternating phenomena of day and night.

21. Basically the Ptolemaic universe was dead what? Wrong 22. On what matters was Copernicus correct? The Earth revolves around the Sun The nearby planets revolve around the Sun The Earth rotates on its axis

23. On what matters was Copernicus wrong? Our Sun is the center of our solar system, not the entire universe The stars are NOT fixed in place The Earth and the nearby planets revolve in irregularly shaped orbits, instead of the perfect circles as thought by Copernicus

24. OK…Even though Copernicus got a few things wrong, what is more important? Of greater importance is what he got right! Copernicus discovered that much of what Christendom thought about the structure of the physical universe was just plain wrong. He demonstrated that the universe was a much more complicated place than had been taught by the ancients…and by The Church

25. Who confirmed Copernicus’s basic views on the structure of the universe? Johannes Kepler, a German mathematician 26. What did Kepler demonstrate about planetary orbits? He showed that planetary orbits were elliptical (kind of oval) instead of perfectly circular

27. Who also confirmed Copernicus? Galileo Galilei 28. What did Galileo use to observe the planets, moon, and stars? A Telescope

29. Using his telescope, what did Galileo discover about the moon? He discovered that the moon had mountains and was thus, not a perfect sphere 30. What did Galileo discover about Jupiter? That Jupiter had multiple moons

31. What did Galileo observe about stars? They are not pure orbs of light, but are instead made of material 32. In 1610, with whom did Galileo find disfavor? The Catholic Church, because his teachings on the Heliocentric universe contradicted Church teachings

33. What did the Catholic Church order Galileo to do? Renounce his support of the Copernican view 34. Why did the Catholic Church (and some Protestants) dislike the Copernican Revolution? It SEEMED to challenge the idea that our world was a special place created by God

35. By the 1630s and 1640s, what theory of the universe did most astronomers accept? Heliocentric Theory The Copernican Revolution lived on 36. What were the major theories put forward by Englishman Isaac Newton (1642-1727) put forward in his book, Principia? His Three Laws of Motion and his Universal Law of Gravitation

37. What is a short description of Newton’s theory of gravity? In short, every object in the universe is attracted to every other object by a force called gravity 38. In many ways, Newton’s universe worked according to natural laws with a predictability akin to a what? A mechanical clock

39. In the 1900s, who would disprove some of Newton’s ideas about time and space? Albert Einstein 40. In 1543, what did Andreas Vesalius provide? A more accurate picture of human anatomy

41. In the late 1620s, what did William Harvey provide? A more accurate explanation of the human circulatory system 42. What did the Frenchman Antione Lavoisier provide? A system of naming chemical elements, and he is regarded by many as the father of modern chemistry

43. What became of Antoine Lavoisier during the French Revolution? He was executed by beheading, due to his perceived crimes as a tax collector 44. What did the French philosopher, Rene Descartes (1596-1650) said, “I think; therefore, I am,” what did he mean? All that I see, touch, taste, smell, etc., could be an illusion…or a dream…or a demonic apparition BUT…I am thinking…therefore… I EXIST!

45. Rene Descartes (1596-1650) is considered the father of what school of philosophy? Rationalism 46. What is the Scientific Method? A systematic method of observing, collecting, analyzing, and communicating evidence from which conclusions about the physical world can be drawn