By: Mr. Marston Dominion Christian High School, Marietta, GA World History 2009 The Age of Reason & Enlightenment

The “Great Debate” Reason & Logic (Age of Reason) Traditions and Superstitions (Middle Ages)  rationalism  empiricism  tolerance  skepticism  Deism  nostalgia for the past (ancient philosophers)  organized religions  irrationalism  emotionalis m

An Overview of the 18 c ► Political History  >>> ► Political History  >>> Reform ► Intellectual History   ► Intellectual History  Newtonian Physics  Reason ► Cultural History  ► Cultural History  Individualism ► Social History   ► Social History  Increased Literacy  “Age of Aristocracy” ► Economic History  > ► Economic History  > Mercantilism to Capitalism

18 c Politics ► – Constitutional Monarchy ► BRITAIN  – Constitutional Monarchy ► Royal Absolutism (cultural and religious unity) ► FRANCE  Royal Absolutism (cultural and religious unity) ► “Enlightened Despotism” ► PRUSSIA, HABSBURG EMPIRE, RUSSIA  “Enlightened Despotism”

The Origins of Enlightenment? ► SCIENTIFIC:  Newton’s system was synonymous with the empirical (observation)and the practical.  Scientific laws could be expressed as universal mathematical formulas.  Science allowed alternatives to be imagined in everything from politics to religion.

William Blake’s Newton, 1795

The Royal Academy of Sciences, Paris

Zoology & Biology A dissection at the Royal Academy, London.

Chemistry Labs & Botany Gardens

Natural History Collections ► Cocoa plant drawing. ► Sir Hans Sloane ( ). ► Collected from Jamaica.

Natural History Collections James Petiver’s Beetles (London apothecary)

Private Collections The Origins of Modern Museums.

Women & Science The German astronomer Hevelius & his wife examine the heavens.

The Origins of Enlightenment? ► RELIGIOUS:  physico-theology –  an attempt (inspired by science) to explain God’s Providence by reference to his work in nature & not primarily through his biblical Word.  support of a “rational” religion, free from mysteries, miracles, and superstitions.

The Origins of Enlightenment? ► RELIGIOUS:  Deism  The belief in the existence of a God or supreme being but a denial of revealed religion, basing one’s belief on the light of nature and reason.  Deists saw no point in any particular religion; they recognized only a distant God, uninvolved in the daily life of man.

The Origins of Enlightenment? ► RELIGIOUS:  Gradually, highly educated Protestants & Catholics thought more about God’s work as revealed through science, rather than through the Scriptures.  Pantheism  The belief that God and nature are one and the same.

The Characteristics of the Enlightenment 1. Rationalism  reason is the arbiter of all things. 2. Cosmology  a new concept of man, his existence on earth, & the place of the earth in the universe. 3. Secularism  application of the methods of science to religion & philosophy.

The Characteristics of the Enlightenment 4. Scientific Method  Mathematical analysis (gathering observations, seek to find a pattern in the observations, choosing the most appropriate conclusion to explain the observations)  Experimentation  Inductive reasoning.  Utilitarianism  the greatest good for the greatest number.  Tolerance  No opinion is worth burning your neighbor for.

Problems with Science Cannot explain why things occur Cannot make moral judgments Limited by man’s abilities Scientific facts are often proved incorrect.

The Characteristics of the Enlightenment 7. Optimism & Self-Confidence  The belief that man is intrinsically good.  The belief in social progress.  Freedom  Of thought and expression.  Bring liberty to all men (modern battle against absolutism).  Education of the Masses

The Characteristics of the Enlightenment 10. Legal Reforms  Justice, kindness, and charity  no torture or indiscriminant incarceration.  Due process of law.  Constitutionalism  Written constitutions  listing citizens, rights.  Cosmopolitanism.

Centers of the Enlightenment

Scientific Revolution: From Renaissance to the 18 th century Successes in science Increased man’s knowledge of the universe 1. heliocentric view of the universe 2. matter was made up of atoms and corpuscles/ 3. all bodies are heavy and they move according to the same laws of motion 4. universe is a set of mathematical principles

Astronomy Astronomers relied on the theories of Ptolemy (ancient Greek geographer) Geocentric view of the universe: entire universe revolved around the earth

Nicolaus Copernicus ( ) Polish Astronomer Used instruments (astrolabe) to study the heavens and measure the position of stars and planets Concluded “heliocentric” (Sun-centered theory) of the universe Planets farthest from the sun took longer to orbit the sun than the earth did “On the Revolution of the Heavenly Spheres.” (1543)

Copernicus

Geocentric vs. Heliocentric View

Copernicus Youtube

Johannes Kepler ( ) German Lutheran Disavowed Copernican model of circular orbits Orbits were elliptical (oval shaped)

Tycho Brahe ( ) Danish Astronomer His planetary observations led to Kepler’s laws of planetary motion

Geo-Heliocentric (sun and moon revolve around earth) while other planets revolve around sun

Brahe

Kepler Laws of Planetary Motion

Kepler

Kepler's law of motion Kepler Youtube

Galileo Galilei ( ) Italian astronomer Improved upon the telescope Confirmed Kepler’s heliocentric theory and that the planets moved in elliptical orbits Tried for heresy by the Catholic Church and forced to recant his findings “Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems” (1632) Known as the Father of Modern Science and Modern Observational Astronomy

Galileo