1. Scientific Revolution

2. The Scientific Revolution
SETTING THE STAGE: The Renaissance inspired a spirit of curiosity in many fields.
Scholars began to question ideas that had been accepted for 100’s of years.
During the Reformation, religious leaders challenged accepted ways of thinking about God & salvation.
While the Reformation was
taking place, another revolution
in European thought was also
occurring—it challenged how
people viewed their place in the
universe.

3. Roots of Modern Science
Before 1500, scholars generally decided what was true & false by referring to an ancient Greek or Roman author, or the Bible.
Whatever Aristotle said about the material world was true unless the Bible said otherwise.
Few European scholars questioned
the scientific ideas of the ancient
thinkers or the church by carefully
observing nature for themselves.

4. 1. The Medieval View During Middle Ages, most scholars
believed the earth was an unmoving
object located at the center of the
universe.
According to that view, the moon, sun and planets all moved in perfectly circular paths around the earth.
Common sense seemed to support this view since the sun seemed to moving around the earth when it rose and set.
This earth-centered view, called the geocentric theory was supported by more than just common sense—the idea came from Aristotle (300’s BC)
Christianity also taught that God had deliberately placed earth at the center of the universe

5. 2. A New Way of Thinking
Beginning in mid-1500’s, scholars start to question ideas of ancient thinkers AND the Church.
The Scientific Revolution was a new way of thinking about the natural world.
That way was based upon careful observation & a willingness to question accepted beliefs.
European universities began to add courses in astronomy, chemistry, and higher mathematics.
During the Renaissance, scholars found that many ancient works often did not agree with each other.
Travel to Asia, Africa and the Americas also opened Europeans to possibility that there were new truths to be found.
European Exploration also fueled a great deal of research—especially in astronomy and mathematics for navigation.

6. B. Revolutionary Model of the Universe
The First major challenge to accepted scientific thinking came in the field of astronomy.
The Scientific Revolution started when a small group of scholars began to question the geocentric theory.

7. The Heliocentric Theory
Although backed by tradition &
common sense, geocentric theory didn’t
accurately explain movements of sun, moon, and planets
Problem was solved by Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus— he studied the planetary movements for 25 years and reasoned that the stars, earth, and planets revolved around the sun.
His heliocentric theory (sun centered) still did not completely explain why the planets orbited the way they did.
He feared that most scholars and clergy would reject his theory b/c it contradicted religious views—he didn’t publish his views until 1543, on his deathbed.

8. The view of the universe by Copernicus

9. The Heliocentric Theory (cont.)
Johannes Kepler ( ) concluded that certain laws of math govern planetary motion.
Planets revolve in elliptical orbits, not perfectly round—he used math to show Copernicus’s ideas were true.
He demonstrated mathematically that the planets orbit around the sun.

10. Galileo’s Discoveries
Galileo Galilei ( )
Invents an Improved telescope, observations of heavens confirmed the Copernican theory
1610: He announced
that Jupiter had 4
moons, that the sun
had dark spots, and
that the moon had a
rough uneven
surface.

11. Conflict with the Church
Galileo’s findings frightened
both Catholics & Protestant
leaders b/c it went against
church teaching & authority.
1616: He is warned not to defend Copernicus. He publishes a book doing just that in 1632—he is then summoned to Rome to stand trial before the Inquisition.
He stood before the court in 1633 and under threat of torture, publicly confessed that ideas of Copernicus were false.
He lived the rest of his life under house arrest and died in 1642 in his villa near Florence—but his books and ideas spread all over Europe.

12. The Scientific Method Revolution in scientific thinking of
Copernicus, Kepler, and Galileo
eventually developed into a new
approach called the scientific
method—a logical procedure for gathering and testing ideas.
Francis Bacon: an English politician/writer. He believed that by better understanding the world, scientists would generate practical knowledge that would improve peoples’ lives.
He attacked medieval scholars for relying too heavily on Aristotle and ancient thinkers.

13. The Scientific Method Rene Descartes: French philosopher
who took a keen interest in science.
- Used philosophy to support science.
- “I think, therefore, I am.”
-Linked algebra & geometry and established
that shapes could be proven with equations.

14. Newton Explains the Law of Gravity
Sir Isaac Newton ( )
English mathematician, astronomer, and physicist
Invented calculus, discovered laws of light and color, formed laws of motion, and calculated the law of gravity
According to the law, every object in the universe attracts every other object.
1687: Published Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy—one of the most important science books ever written.

15. Newton’s laws of Gravity and Motion

16. The Scientific Revolution Spreads
After astronomers
explored the secrets of
the universe, other
scientists began to study
the secrets of nature on
earth.
Careful observation and the use of the scientific method eventually became important in many different fields.

17. Scientific Instruments
Scientists developed new tools & instruments to make the precise observations that the scientific method demanded.
Microscope: invented by a Dutch eyeglass maker.
Anton von Leeuwenhoek: In 1670’s, discovers red blood cells, and bacteria are seen for 1st time now…
1643: mercury barometer —used to measure atmospheric pressure & predicting weather
1714: Gabriel Fahrenheit made 1st thermometer to use mercury in a glass
—making freezing a 32 degrees.
Swedish astronomer, Anders Celsius created
another scale for mercury thermometer in
1742 were freezing was at 0 degrees.

18. Medicine & the Human Body
A Flemish physician, Andreas
Vesalius, proved that the human anatomy was
the same as the anatomy of animals.
-How? Dissected human corpses (despite
disapproval of this practice).
His book, On the Fabric of the Human Body was filled w/ detailed drawings of organs, bones, and muscle.
Late 1700’s: Edward Jenner introduced a vaccine to prevent smallpox.
-He injected people with germs of cowpox
(a much milder form of disease) to build
immunity.
-Technically the world’s first vaccination.

19. Smallpox

20. Discoveries in Chemistry
Robert Boyle: considered founder of
modern chemistry.
He challenged Aristotle’s idea that the
physical world consisted of 4 elements: earth, fire, air, &
water.
Proposed that matter was made up of smaller primary particles that joined together in different ways.
Came up with Boyle’s Law: explains how volume, temperature, and pressure of gas affect each other.
1774: Joseph Priestly separated one pure gas from air.
1779: Antoine Lavoisier named the newly discovered gas oxygen.