PEOPLE OF THE SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION AND ENLIGHTENMENT

Copernicus Came up with the heliocentric theory = sun-centered conception of the universe The planets revolve around the sun and the moon revolves around Earth Daily rotation of Earth on its axis First to create a complete model of the solar system using physics, astronomy, and mathematics Previous belief: Aristotle and Ptolemy – geocentric (Earth-centered) conception of the universe, Earth is fixed, as is Heaven – belief since 150 AD

Kepler Came up with a mathematical formula that supported/proved the Copernican theory Stated that the orbits of planets are elliptical, with the sun at the end, not the center = Kepler’s Law Planets orbit the sun in an oval pattern or ellipse

Galileo Built the first telescope and made regular observations First to observe Saturn, the craters on the moon, sunspots, and the moons of Jupiter Stated that the heavenly bodies were made of material substance – goes against the beliefs of the Church Previous belief = Ptolemy – heavenly bodies were orbs of light

Sir Isaac Newton Three laws of motion that govern the heavenly bodies and objects on Earth Universal law of gravitation Gravity affects objects in the universe as well as on Earth Keeps the planets in their orbits Universe seen as a regulated machine that worked according to natural laws Developed calculus to predict the effects of gravity

Vesalius Dissected human bodies and presented an accurate examination of individual organs and general structure of the human body Hired artists to produce accurate drawings Previous belief: Galen, a Greek physician from ancient times, used animals for dissection

Harvey Described how blood and the circulatory system functioned Stated that the heart, not the liver, was the beginning point of blood circulation Same blood flows in veins and arteries Previous belief = Galen’s idea that two kinds of blood flowed in the veins and arteries with the liver as the starting point

Leeuwenhoek Invented the microscope and was the first person to describe the appearance of bacteria, red blood cells, yeast, and other microorganisms Robert Hooke used this microscope to look at plants and was to first to use the term cell

Boyle Called the father of modern chemistry First chemist to define an element Described matter as a cluster of tiny particles Boyle’s Law = volume of gas varies with the amount of pressure exerted on it

Lavoisier Discovered the law of Conservation of Mass Proved that matter could not be created or destroyed Introduced the metric system of measurements Invented the first periodic table, which included 33 elements Invented the system of naming the chemical elements

Francis Bacon Invented the scientific method Identify a problem and form a hypothesis to be tested Perform experiments and record the results Analyze the results to form a conclusion that either proves or disproves the hypothesis Believed the only true way to gain scientific knowledge was through experimentation = observing, measuring, explaining, and verifying

Descartes Wrote about doubt and uncertainty of the 17th century Father of modern rationalism = reason is the chief source of knowledge Emphasis on reason Believed everything should be doubted until it could be proven by reason Doubt about existence – “I think, therefore I am” Principle of the separation of mind and matter

Montesquieu Mistakenly interpreted Great Britain’s gov’t structure The best form of gov’t included a separation of powers to prevent any individual or group from abusing its powers Separation of powers = separate the powers of gov’t into branches, such as the executive, legislative, and judicial System of checks and balances = the branches would limit and control each other

Voltaire Believed in religious tolerance and criticized all organized religion, especially the Catholic Church Felt that religion crushed the human spirit Famous anti-religious quote “Crush that horrible thing” Believed in deism, a religious philosophy based on reason and natural laws God created the universe and then stepped back and let it run without his interference according to natural laws Idea of a mechanic God

Diderot Published a 28 volume Encyclopedia that spread the ideas of the Enlightenment and Scientific Revolution across Europe and to North America Explained new ideas and its purpose was the promotion of knowledge

Rousseau Believed that people were basically good and that society corrupted them People adopted laws and gov’t to preserve their private property and in the process they had become enslaved by gov’t First line of The Social Contract – “Man is born free but everywhere is in chains” Believed that gov’t should work for the benefit of the common good Social Contract – an entire society agrees to be governed by the general will Individuals should give up some of their freedoms for the benefit of the community as a whole

Adam Smith The Wealth of Nations Strong believer in laissez-faire = an economic system in which the gov’t should not interfere in economic matters or regulate the economy If individuals were free to pursue their own economic self-interest, all of society would benefit Economy would be stronger if the natural economic laws of supply and demand were allowed to work freely

Mary Wollstonecraft Demanded equal rights for women and was the first to openly publish the ideas that women should be able to vote and hold public office A Vindication of the Rights of Woman

Beccaria Punishments should not be excessive in brutality and he opposed capital punishment -he believed it did not stop others from committing crimes

John Wesley Founder of Methodism, proved that not all need for spiritual experience had been eliminated