The Scien”terrific”! Revolution c. ~1300 oFr science; “knowledge (of something) acquired by study.” (L; scientia) c. ~1300 oFr science; “knowledge (of something) acquired by study.” (L; scientia) Many breakthrough discoveries in science and philosophy. Many breakthrough discoveries in science and philosophy. The Europeans’ perception of the world and their role were changed forever. The Europeans’ perception of the world and their role were changed forever. Began by only affecting the scientific and intellectual elite (~5%) Began by only affecting the scientific and intellectual elite (~5%)

“Science” before the Scientific Revolution Prior- all concepts came from the Bible or ancient scientists. – The Bible -> the main source of info, taken literally – Aristotle -> THE authority on ancient science (even thought he was often “in error” The “Prime Mover” theory (Church supports) All objects naturally at rest unless acted upon Motion is explained in that each of the four elements want “to go home”; fire and air want to fall up, and earth and water want to fall down. Teleological scientist-> everything is made for a specific purpose Not ALL of his discoveries/explanations were available. Many were just flat out wrong

Before the SR Continued Ptolemy -> Ptolemy -> – Earth is at the center of the universe; Geocentism – The sun and planets orbit earth in crystalline spheres – Epicycles were used to explain retrograde motion

CAUSES of the SR Trend of Questioning Authority Inadequacies of the standard theories “Discovery” of other ancient scientists, e.g. Archimedes, that disagreed with old theories (displacement) Interest in “magic” (astrology, alchemy) Interest in TECHNOLOGY – Printing press, telescope, vacuum pump, thermometer, barometer, and microscope, and the innovations they led to.

Major Scientists and their Contributions Nicolaus Copernicus (Kupernig) ( ) – Challenged the Ptolemaic theory mathematically – Developed heliocentrism (heliocentric theory) – “Large masses have their own attractive forces” Gravity?? -But he never addressed the issue of chrystalline spheres or stars. -Published The Revolution of Heavenly Bodies on his deathbed.

More Science Dudes Giordano Bruno ( ) – A Dominican Friar – Made the mistake of supporting Copernican theory – Even suggested that the sun was a star *gasp* – Pretty much an all-round heretic – Burned at the stake

More, Continued Tycho Brahe – Danish royal astrologer – Observed and mapped over 700 stars in a 20-year period Johannes Kepler – Brahe’s student for 20 years – Living during 30 years of war – Loved the planets and made it his life’s work to explain the motion of planets – Invented Three Laws of Planetary Motion

The First Real Scientist Galileo Galilei ( ) Galileo Galilei ( ) – Wanted to see for himself – First to use a telescope Moon craters *gasp*, and Jupiter’s moons Moon craters *gasp*, and Jupiter’s moons – Starry Messenger (1610) Got in trouble with the S.I. – Dialog on the Two Great World Systems (1632) – Theory of inertia (no God needed to move things) – One of the first mechanists How?, not why? How?, not why?

THE CHAIRMAN of the BOARD Isaac Newton ( ) – Calculus – The visible spectrum – The Principia Matematica (1 st pub 1687) – Deals mainly with massive bodies in motion Three laws of Motion Law of Universal Gravitation

The New Epistemologies Epistemology-> theory of knowledge Epistemology-> theory of knowledge – The NEW way is mechanism- ask how, not why – The Old way was teleology- everything made for a specific purpose *pppphhht* EMPIRICISM EMPIRICISM – Induction- (Francis Bacon) going from the particular to the general. iow, Observation RATIONALISM RATIONALISM – Deduction- (Descartes) You can’t trust observation because your senses can lie. We must think.

More Thomas Hobbes Thomas Hobbes – Radical nominalist – There are NO abstract ideas. (ergo atheist) – “Pleasure-Pain Philosophy” – State of Nature, No Authority “…life is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short…” “…life is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short…” Inevitable war of all against all Inevitable war of all against all – Leviathan (1651) ABSOLUTE MONARCHY not based on divine right but on a social contract not based on divine right but on a social contract

John Locke Empiricist – Tabula Rasa – Since all beliefs come from experience, all are open to criticism – Great supporter of equality, tolerance and education – Natural Rights – The only function of government is to protect NR – An Essay Concerning Human Understanding (1690) – Two Treatises on Government (1689)

David Hume Scottish Historian, economist and essayist. Treatise on Human Nature 1739 The “Dead End” of Empiricism There cannot be any absolute knowledge if everything is based on the senses. People can know things through common sense, but not philosophy.

EFFECTS of the SR Created an era of overall optimism Ushers in the Age of Reason in the 18 th Century Even the ancients have been surpassed in learning Human understanding of the universe could be reduced to mathematical Laws The universe could thus be understood by humans Humans could control their own destiny Natural Laws could be applied to other aspects of human endeavor- economics, politics, ethics, history, society Science is institutionalized – scientific societies sprang up all over Europe