1. HONORS MODERN WORLD HISTORY Lesson #5 - Scientific Revolution

2. Today’s goal
For each new scientist/philosopher, come up with three statements:
Sums up what he did that was exceptional
A question you’d ask him
Someone you’d introduce him to, and why

3. Copernicus 1473-1543 – Polish Astronomer
On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres (1543)
Used no special instruments
Refuted the Ptolemaic system of Geocentric designed universe (with liquid spheres), in favor of…
The Heliocentric design
Copernican Revolution
Seven Axioms
Problems:
his design didn’t really work mathematically
He was condemned by the Church as blasphemous
Ptolemaic model-3m
Copernican model-3m

4. Tycho Brahe 1546-1601 – Danish researcher
Leading astronomer of his age
Friend to King of Denmark (noble)
The king gave him an island and a castle
Last “naked eye” astronomer
He did use special instruments
A strange man
Had a pet moose
Had a gold nose
Died from an exploding bladder
Tychonic Model
Moon and sun revolved around the earth
Five planets revolved around the sun
Produced massive amounts of data
Constructed instruments to observe planets

5. Johannes Kepler 1571-1630 – German astronomer The New Astronomy (1609)
Built a powerful refractive telescope (convex lenses for wider view than Galileo’s version)
Keplerian telescope
Was a Neo-Platonist – made him a fanatical believer in Copernican model
Used Brahe’s data
Kepler’s model:
All planets follow elliptical paths around sun
Planets move faster when closer to sun
Died of pneumonia while studying freezing of meat

6. Galileo Galilei 1564-1642 – Italian astronomer
Dialogue on the Two Chief Systems of the World (1632)
This got him into trouble with the Pope
High profile advocate of Copernican model (great speaker)
Father of modern observational astronomy
Father of modern physics
Father of modern science
Father of science
Worked on gravity & engineering
Devout Catholic
Used telescope made by Dutch
Court mathematician of Duke of Tuscany (Medici)
Found guilty of heresy 1635 – house arrest (70 years old)

7. Isaac Newton 1642-1727 – astronomer
Mathematical Principals of Natural Philosophy (1684)
Considered one of the most important scientists EVER
Father of physics
Father of gravity
Mutual attractions of all bodies in space
LAW OF UNIVERSAL GRAVITATION
UNIVERSALITY OF THE UNIVERSE
Synthesized mathematics, physics & astronomy

8. Francis Bacon 1561-1626 – philosopher, statesman, scientist
Father of empiricism (collecting data)
Attacked scholasticism
Most truth has already been discovered, the rest will be very soon
Gather information, then speculate
“twisting the lion’s tail”
Manipulate science to learn more about nature

9. Rene Descartes 1596-1650 – Philosopher & scientist
Inventor of analytic geometry
Rejected scholasticism
Encouraged use of mathematics for proof
Begin with doubt, construct sound arguments
Father of deduction & modern philosophy
Cartesian Dualism
Everything can be reduced to mind and matter

10. Renee Descartes
I have convinced myself that there is nothing in the world — no sky, no earth, no minds, no bodies. Doesn’t it follow that I don’t exist?
No, surely I must exist if it’s me who is convinced of something. But there is a deceiver, supremely powerful and cunning whose aim is to see that I am always deceived. But surely I exist, if I am deceived. Let him deceive me all he can, he will never make it the case that I am nothing while I think that I am something.
Thus having fully weighed every consideration, I must finally conclude that the statement “I am, I exist” (I THINK, THEREFOR I AM) must be true whenever I state it or mentally consider it.
(Descartes, Meditation II: On the Nature of the Human Mind, Which Is Better Known Than the Body).

11. Renee Descartes
I have convinced myself that there is nothing in the world — no sky, no earth, no minds, no bodies. Doesn’t it follow that I don’t exist?
No, surely I must exist if it’s me who is convinced of something. But there is a deceiver, supremely powerful and cunning whose aim is to see that I am always deceived. But surely I exist, if I am deceived. Let him deceive me all he can, he will never make it the case that I am nothing while I think that I am something.
Thus having fully weighed every consideration, I must finally conclude that the statement “I am, I exist” (I THINK, THEREFOR I AM) must be true whenever I state it or mentally consider it.
(Descartes, Meditation II: On the Nature of the Human Mind, Which Is Better Known Than the Body).

12. Questions to ponder…
Looking at the passage, what can we conclude is Descartes’ first impression of self?
What is it that convinces him that he DOES, in fact, exist?
Since Descartes is existing in a world which is very religious, who might the deceiver be?
Conclusion
“I Think, Therefore I am” 
A deceiver can’t deceive me of my existence, for if he were I wouldn’t exist!
Descartes a favor folks and keep thinking, lest you may cease to exist!

13. Goal of the explorers Purely for profit
Venice had monopolized Mediterranean
Muslims had monopolized land route
Africa was the road block… how to get around it?
Bartholomeu Dias finally found the tip of Africa (1488)

14. Vasco da Gama Sailed for Portugal in 1497
Followed route mapped by Bartholomeu Dias to get around land mass of Africa (1488)
Took nearly a year to get to India
Opened up European competition for spices
3000% profit, even after losing half his ships

15. Christopher Columbus In the mean time…
Columbus postulated the size of earth to be small enough to sail around it, avoiding the long trip around Africa
His measurements were WAY off
Tried twice more to get to China by sailing West…