The Scientific Revolution The West CHAPTER 16

Astronomy: A New Model of the Universe Ptolemaic-Aristotelian cosmology predicated a stationary earth at the center of the universe Theory of a heliocentric universe and movement of the earth was proposed by Copernicus and refined by Kepler Galileo demonstrated Copernicus’ theory and made it accessible

Physics: The Laws of Motion and Gravitation Aristotelian philosophy argued motion required external force Galileo developed the theory of inertia - motion is a state, not a force or a quality Newton developed the universal law of gravitation and a new theory of light, based upon laws of motion

Chemistry and Biology Robert Boyle identified atoms as the determining components of all matter Chemistry became acceptable and legitimate science, distinct from alchemy William Harvey demonstrated the circulation of blood throughout the body and set the standard for biological research

The New Scientific Method Extensive observation of nature Rigorous and empirical experimentation - Boyle, Harvey Application of deductive reasoning to basic scientific propositions, to develop new ideas- Descartes Application of mathematics to the study of nature - Copernicus, Newton

The Mechanical Philosophy Assumption that the natural world operated like a machine, in a mechanical manner Implied that the universe was uniform in structure and that underlying natural laws existed Implied that all natural phenomena could be explained by natural laws

Internal Causes of the Scientific Revolution Scholastic philosophy, in the fourteenth century, began to question Aristotle and to recommend empirical observation Recovery and translation of Greek scientific works, during the Renaissance Collapse of classical and medieval scientific paradigms under new scientific method

External Causes of the Scientific Revolution Protestantism was more receptive to new scientific ideas Development of scientific academies and princely patronage for scientists Printing permitted more accurate preservation and dissemination of ideas Demand for new military and commercial technologies Voyages of exploration undermined traditional science

Education and Skepticism Publications and academic respectability resulted in science becoming integral to Western education Beginning of the perception of science and the humanities as two distinct cultural traditions Encouragement of skepticism and independent reasoning

Science and Religion Challenged literal interpretation of the Bible and the role of God in nature Separated science and religion as two distinct, but complementary, forms of knowledge Emphasized the role of reason in religion over the fanaticism of the confessional age Religion remained relevant in Europe

Magic, Demons and Witchcraft Mechanical philosophy challenged ideas of demonic power and the reality of magic Science played only a minor role in the decline of witchcraft persecutions The skepticism of the educated classes was matched by continuing superstition in broader society - widening of the cultural gap between social élites and lower classes

The Place of Human Beings in the Universe In classical and medieval philosophy, human beings had been the physical and moral center of the universe Acceptance of a heliocentric universe challenged the notion of human uniqueness and centrality in the universe Works of fiction helped spread questioning of humanity’s place in the universe

The Control of Nature Encouraged confidence in human abilities to control nature Practical application of scientific knowledge developed belief in the power of science to improve human life Fostered optimism and faith in progress

Men, Women and Nature Challenged classical and medieval notions about the physical and mental inferiority of women Laid theoretical foundations of sexual equality Identification of science as masculine and nature as feminine reinforced the traditional gender hierarchy

Science and Western Culture The Scientific Revolution was a uniquely Western phenomenon Islamic and Asian scientific traditions did not experience an analogous transformation Only in Europe could science and religion be separated Scientific knowledge and technology became a new source of Western identity