1. The Scientific Revolution

2. Medieval View of the World
Earth was an unmoving object
Moon, sun, planets all revolved in perfect circles around the earth
geocentric theory (Aristotle and Ptolemy ‘confirmed’ this)
Christianity taught that God deliberately placed earth at the center and that God/heaven was in a specific place in the universe
God/Heaven

3. Hmmmm….I don’t think that theory is correct!
The Scientific Revolution began when… the geocentric model (earth-centered theory) was questioned by leading astronomers.
Hmmmm….I don’t think that theory is correct!

4. So why did people start to question things?
Renaissance -- Rejection/questioning of traditional ideas and ‘rebirth’ and re-learning of ancient texts (Greek and Roman)
Age of Exploration they had a better understanding of the world

5. So what was the Scientific Revolution?
It was a new way of thinking about the natural world
It was based on careful observation
It spurred a willingness to question accepted beliefs
It was shunned by the Catholic Church

6. I’m right and you’re wrong!!!!!!
Nicolaus Copernicus
Polish astronomer
Disputed the validity of the geocentric theory and supported the heliocentric theory
Feared ridicule and persecution for contradicting religious views
Published findings right before he died -- On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Bodies
I’m right and you’re wrong!!!!!!

7. Heliocentric model (sun-centered theory)
So why do you think the heliocentric theory upset the Church so much?

8. By gosh -- Copernicus was 99% right!
Johannes Kepler
By gosh -- Copernicus was 99% right!
Concluded that certain mathematical laws govern planetary motion
Discoverd elliptical orbits of planets
Laws showed that Copernicus ideas were mathematically correct

9. Galileo Galilei
Falling objects fall at a fixed and predictable rate (tested at the Leaning Tower of Pisa)
Improved the telescope to study the skies -- discovered 4 moons of Jupiter
Supported Copernicus in Starry Messenger
Found guilty of going against the teachings of the church (heresy)
- Placed on house arrest until his death
His books and ideas spread throughout Europe

10. Isaac Newton
Wrote Mathematical principles of Natural Philosophy (aka the Principia)
Explained the 3 laws of motion that govern the universe
Universal law of gravitation -- all objects in the universe attract all other objects
Discovered gravity as a force

11. Galen Greek doctor whose ideas dominated medicine
I did the best that I could with the information that I had -- don’t hate on me!!
Greek doctor whose ideas dominated medicine
Was wrong in many instances – relied on information about animals and tried to apply them to humans

12. Andreas Vesalius William Harvey
Dissected humans to accurately describe human anatomy
William Harvey
Showed the heart acted as a pump to circulate blood throughout the body

13. Blaise Pascal Robert Boyle Antoine Lavoisier
Pascal’s Law – how liquids behaved under pressure
Developed syringe and hydraulic press
Robert Boyle
One of the 1st scientists to conduct experiments in chemistry
Boyle’s Law – gas, pressure, blah, blah ;-)
Antoine Lavoisier
Invented system of naming elements
‘founder’ of modern chemistry

14. Women in the Scientific Revolution
Margaret Cavendish
philosopher
Observations Upon Experimental Philosophy: book that criticized the growing belief that human were now masters of nature because of science
Maria Winkelmann
Accomplished astronomer
Discovered a comet
**Both women’s work was not completely accepted because they were women

15. Rene Descartes Developed analytical geometry (algebra + geometry)
Relied on mathematics and logic
Everything should be doubted until proven by reason

16. Francis Bacon
Urged scientists to experiment and to use inductive reasoning
Helped to develop the experimental (scientific method)

17. Effects of the Scientific Revolution
Sun centered solar system became widely accepted
Improvements in medicine
Invention of scientific instruments
Disproved MANY of Aristotle’s and other Greek teachings
Questioning traditional teachings of the Catholic Church