Age of Enlightenment Chapter 11

Age of Enlightenment An intellectual and scientific movement rational and scientific approach to religious, social, political, and economic issues.

New way of thinking European thinkers abandoned old scientific ideas Scientific Advancements mathematics experimentations Challenged traditional thinking Example: God made the earth at the center of the universe

Scientific Knowledge in Middle Ages Before Age of Enlightenment Facts not investigated didn’t make own observations ancient work in poor condition

Ptolemy Geocentric theory: Earth at the center of the solar system corrected by Copernicus geocentric or earth-centered theory sun and planets move around the earth in circular paths

Copernicus Nicolaus Copernicus Ptolemy theory too complex (geocentric theory) Heliocentric Theory Sun-centered theory sun, not earth, at center of solar system planets move in circular motion around sun

Johannes Kepler made corrections Johannes Kepler Supported Copernicus theory (heliocentric) made corrections planets move in eclipses, or oval paths, not circular

Galileo Galileo Challenged Aristotle Aristotle: weight of object determines the speed at which it falls. Galileo: Conducted experiments Objects fall at same speed regardless of weight

Galileo Galilei Improvements: Scientific Instruments clock water thermometer (temp changes to be measured) telescope (evidence to support Copernicus) Condemned by Roman Catholic Church geocentric theory “in bible” tried for heresy by Pope withdrew many statements

Galileo Galilei Found Guilty 7 out of 10 inquisitors house arrest leniency for admitting fault (not intentionally) denied proper church burial (by Pope) buried in unmarked grave

Isaac Newton Led to modern physics Motion of objects in space and on earth Universal law of gravitation force of gravity holds the solar system together keeps planets and sun in their orbits

Descartes Mathematics was the source of all scientific truth Founder or rationalism rationalism: belief that reason is the chief source of knowledge

Scientific Method Francis Bacon Scientific Method: orderly way of collecting and analyzing evidence Observe hypothesis predict test modify