1. Unit 5: Scientific Revolution and The Enlightenment

2. Goals of the Unit
To understand the significance of the revolution in science and society’s response.
To understand how the specific philosophies of the Age of Reason are rooted in the Scientific Revolution and challenged the Old Order.
To understand how the Enlightenment paved the way for the revolutions to come at the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th centuries.

3. Scientific Revolution
17th Century
Foundations of Enlightenment

4. Causes of the Scientific Revolution
Medieval Universities
Encouraged free thinking
Out of philosophy grew science
Renaissance
Rediscovery of Greek mathematics
Patronage
Not all theories were the same, or accepted – prove it
Exploration
Improvements needed and supported by governments

5. Ptolemy vs. Copernicus Ptolemy Copernicus
Geocentric Universe
2nd century A.D.
Copernicus
( )
Heliocentric Universe
On Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres 1543
Significance of Copernican Revolution
Man is no longer the center of the universe
What does this mean about the fixed position of the heavens?

6. Brahe & Kepler Brahe (1546-1601)
Collected data about the movement of the planets and celestial positioning, but did not quite accept Copernicus’ theory
Kepler ( ): Laws of Planetary Motion
the elliptical orbit
planets do not move at a uniform speed
the time it takes depends on planet’s relationship to the sun

7. Galileo
Rejected scripture as a source of scientific knowledge
Supported the Copernican Theory – the earth is moving!
Used the Telescope
Encouraged the development of a scientific method
The questions we ask
The observations we make
The experiments we conduct

8. Isaac Newton
Saw Kepler’s and Galileo’s Laws as different sides of the same coin
Galileo’s theories explained movement on Earth, Kepler’s theories explained celestial movement
Newton developed a unified and coherent theory of the universe
A new concept of astronomy in which particles in the universe interact with each other based on natural laws
Laws of motion, gravity, inertia, etc

9. Sir Francis Bacon 1561-1626 Inductive Reasoning
Arriving at general principles by examining particular examples – empiricism
1. Observation
2. Pattern
3. Tentative Hypothesis
4. Theory

10. Rene Descartes 1596-1650 Deductive Reasoning
Arriving at specific principles based upon logical reasoning from general, usually undisputed principles
1. Theory
2. Hypothesis
3. Observation
4. Confirmation

11. The Age of Reason France in the 1700s
The Enlightenment
The Age of Reason
France in the 1700s

12. Influence of Scientific Revolution
Scientists used reason to explain laws governing human nature
Can this apply to laws governing human behavior as well?
Government, religion, economics, education

13. An Overview of the 18th Century
Political History  Reform
Intellectual History  Newtonian Physics  Reason
Cultural History  Individualism
Social History  Increased Literacy  Age of Aristocracy
Economic History  Mercantilism to Capitalism

14. 18th Century Politics BRITAIN – Constitutional Monarchy
FRANCE - Royal Absolutism
PRUSSIA, HABSBURG EMPIRE, RUSSIA - “Enlightened Despotism”
OTTOMAN EMPIRE – traditional empire

15. Thomas Hobbes Leviathan (1651) All humans naturally selfish and wicked
Give up rights to a strong ruler – social contract
Impose order & demand obedience

16. John Locke Two Treatises of Government (1690) People are reasonable
Natural rights – life, liberty, property
Purpose of government – to protect those natural rights
People have the right to overthrow
“The consent of the governed”

17. Philosophes Believed people could apply reason to all aspects of life
Not really original thinkers as a whole, but great publicists of the new thinking
Students of society who analyzed its evils and proposed reforms
Core Philosophy:
Reason
Nature
Happiness
Progress
Liberty

18. Traditions and Superstitions
The “Great Debate”
Reason & Logic
Traditions and Superstitions
-nostalgia for the past
-organized religions
-irrationalism
-emotionalism
-rationalism
-empiricism
-tolerance
-skepticism
-Deism

19. Voltaire ( )
“I may not agree with a word that you say, but I will fight to the death for your right to say it.”
Satire that targeted the clergy, aristocracy, and the government
Friendly with “Enlightened” monarchs such as Frederick & Catherine

20. Voltaire’s “Wisdom” Every man is guilty of all the good he didn’t do.
God is a comedian playing to an
audience too afraid to laugh.
If God did not exist, it would be
necessary to invent him.
It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.
Love truth and pardon error.

21. Voltaire’s “Wisdom” Judge of a man by his questions rather
than by his answers.
Men are equal; it is not birth, but virtue that makes the difference.
Prejudice is opinion without judgment.

22. Montesquieu On the Spirit of the Laws (1748)
Separation of Powers: each branch of government would serve as a check on the other two
Checks & Balances: Executive, Judicial, Legislative

23. Jean Jacques Rousseau
“Man is born free, and everywhere, he is in chains.”
Civilization corrupts people’s natural goodness
In a state of nature people live as free & equal individuals
“General Will” – give up some freedom in favor of the common good
The Social Contract

24. Cesare Beccaria On Crimes and Punishments (1764) Speedy Trial
No torture
Punishment should be based on the crime
Capital punishment should be abolished

25. Mary Wollstonecraft A Vindication of the Rights of Woman 1792
Education is necessary to become virtuous and useful
Education will make them better mothers
The key to gaining equality and freedom was a better education

26. Thomas Paine ( )
Common Sense, 1776
The Rights of Man, 1791

27. The American “Philosophes”
John Adams ( )
Thomas Jefferson ( )
Ben Franklin ( )
…...…life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness…………...

28. Enlightened Despots
Monarchs who embraced the new ideas and made reforms that reflected the Enlightenment spirit. But didn’t always fully succeed:
Frederick II (the Great) of Prussia
Still had to deal with Junkers
Joseph II of Austria
Made the most extreme reforms
Catherine the Great of Russia
Made serfdom more deeply entrenched

29. From Baroque to Neoclassical
Baroque Musicians: Bach and Handel
Dramatic organ and choral music.
Lots of emotion
Neoclassical Musicians: Mozart and Beethoven
Simple, elegant style that borrowed ideas from classics