Theories and observations The impact of science on common sense views 1. Case study: The Copernican Revolution 2. Kuhn ’ s arguments about theories/paradigms and scientific observations 3. Case study: Changes in theories about human ’ s “ next of kin ”

Theories and observations The impact of science on common sense views  The Elizabethan “world view” ( )  Shakespeare ( )  John Donne ( )  Challenges to aspects of it  Copernicus ( )  Galileo ( )

Theories and observations The impact of science on common sense views  The Elizabethan “world view” ( )  The Great Chain of Being  A place for everything and everything in its place  Degrees of “reality” based on degrees of intellect and/or of spirit  Hierarchical

The Great Chain of Being and its analogues CosmicCosmological Religious order Political order Familial order God Heavenly sphere PopeKingFather Angels Sublunar sphere PriestsNoblemenMother HumansLaymen Free men Son AnimalsWomenServantsDaughter Inanimate stuff Slaves Servants …

Theories and observations The impact of science on common sense views  The Elizabethan “world view” ( )  The music of the spheres

Theories and observations The impact of science on common sense views  The Elizabethan “world view” ( ) and, to some extent the ancient Greek world view, as in theater  The tragedies of Sophocles and Shakespeare  The comedies of Shakespeare  The Copernican system and the poetry of John Donne

The Copernican Revolution Theories and observations  Observations:  Pre-Copernican revolution  Few “new stars” or comets recorded  Few changes in the Heavens recorded  Post-Copernican revolution  Supernovae  Comets  Sunspots  Craters and mountains on the moon  New planets

The Copernican Revolution Impact on world views  John Dunne “An Anatomy of the World”  The old world, being lost?  The new worlds, being found?  The impacts…

Another “ revolution ’ s ” impact on human world views  Human capacities vs. (non-human) capacities  Non-human animals as Brutes  Uniquely human capacities/behaviors:  Tool making  Hunting  Social relationships  Social organization  Communication  Familial and tribe emotions/relationships

Another “ revolution ’ s ” impact on human world views  Human capacities vs. (non-human) capacities  Non-human animals as “brutes”  What does the research outlined in Ape Genius suggest about mental capacities, emotions, relationships, etc. in non-human primates?  How did observations change with a change in paradigm/theory?  How did changes in theory and observations change humans understandings of their purported “uniqueness”?