A New Order in Science and Politics

The seventeenth century saw a wave of new thinking about human knowledge, our place in the world, and our place in the universe. The seventeenth century saw a wave of new thinking about human knowledge, our place in the world, and our place in the universe. Who are we talking about in this time? Who are we talking about in this time? Isaac Newton Isaac Newton Nicolas Copernicus Nicolas Copernicus Galileo Galilei Galileo Galilei The era was referred to as the Scientific Revolution The era was referred to as the Scientific Revolution

The old view Aristotle and Ptolemy were astronomers in Ancient Greece. Aristotle and Ptolemy were astronomers in Ancient Greece. Proposed geocentrism. Proposed geocentrism. Jerusalem was the “center of the Earth.” Jerusalem was the “center of the Earth.”

The Medieval belief was that the cosmos was a hierarchy, similar to the one on Earth. The Medieval belief was that the cosmos was a hierarchy, similar to the one on Earth. Motion was perfect. We were in the centre, which meant a special relationship with god. Motion was perfect. We were in the centre, which meant a special relationship with god.

Nicolas Copernicus ( ) In 1543, the year he died, Copernicus published On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Bodies. In 1543, the year he died, Copernicus published On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Bodies. He argued that Ptolemy was wrong. He argued that Ptolemy was wrong. He proposed the Heliocentric model He proposed the Heliocentric model

Tycho Brahe ( ) Took a combination of the ideas and said that all of the planets except Earth orbit the Sun, and that whole system rotates around the earth. Took a combination of the ideas and said that all of the planets except Earth orbit the Sun, and that whole system rotates around the earth.

Johannes Kepler (1571 – 1630) He proposed the following: He proposed the following: 1.The orbit of a planet is an ellipse with the Sun at one of the two foci. 1.The orbit of a planet is an ellipse with the Sun at one of the two foci. 2. A line segment joining a planet and the Sun sweeps out equal areas during equal intervals of time. 2. A line segment joining a planet and the Sun sweeps out equal areas during equal intervals of time. 3. The square of the orbital period of a planet is proportional to the cube of the semi- major axis of its orbit. 3. The square of the orbital period of a planet is proportional to the cube of the semi- major axis of its orbit.

Galileo Galilei ( ) Italian Physicist, mathematician, engineer, astronomer, and philosopher. Italian Physicist, mathematician, engineer, astronomer, and philosopher. In 1589, Galileo did an experiment at the Leaning Tower of Pisa that showed a couple of things. In 1589, Galileo did an experiment at the Leaning Tower of Pisa that showed a couple of things.

He dropped two balls that had different weights from the top of the tower. He dropped two balls that had different weights from the top of the tower. He proved that objects accelerate at the same speed, regardless of mass. He proved that objects accelerate at the same speed, regardless of mass. What really matters is air resistance. What really matters is air resistance. What really matters is air resistance. What really matters is air resistance.

1609 he built the first telescope he built the first telescope. With it, he discovered the moons of Jupiter. With it, he discovered the moons of Jupiter.

First things discovered that didn’t orbit Earth or the Sun. First things discovered that didn’t orbit Earth or the Sun.

Galileo used the evidence from this discovery to construct his own theory of heliocentrism. Galileo used the evidence from this discovery to construct his own theory of heliocentrism. This made him a target of the church. This made him a target of the church. The church supported the view that Earth was the centre of the universe and that we were unique in God’s eyes. The church supported the view that Earth was the centre of the universe and that we were unique in God’s eyes. Being just another planet did not fit with that view. Being just another planet did not fit with that view.

In 1633, Galileo was tried by the Inquisition and sentenced to life imprisonment. This became house arrest. In 1633, Galileo was tried by the Inquisition and sentenced to life imprisonment. This became house arrest.

Isaac Newton (1642 – 1727) Perhaps the most famous name in science, behind maybe Einstein and Hawking. Perhaps the most famous name in science, behind maybe Einstein and Hawking. He is responsible for the theory of gravity as well as his three laws of motion. He is responsible for the theory of gravity as well as his three laws of motion.