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The Scientific Revolution Daniel In the Lion’s Den - Ruben
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Outline I. Pre-Revolution thought II. Causes of the Revolution III.Principles and Consequences of the Revolution IV.Main Scientists VI.Impact of the Revolution
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What is the Scientific Revolution? It is the beginning of a great intellectual transformation that leads to the modern world concurrent with other major events Copernicus is making discoveries at the time of the religious wars are breaking out in Europe Copernicus is making discoveries at the time of the religious wars are breaking out in Europe by the end of the Revolution Europe is about to embark on the Enlightenment, a cultural movement that largely rejected religion. by the end of the Revolution Europe is about to embark on the Enlightenment, a cultural movement that largely rejected religion.
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I. Before the Scientific Revolution Scientists seek to understand HOW things happen intent is to use science to “prove” God exists intent is to use science to “prove” God exists earliest Scientists are usually priests/monks earliest Scientists are usually priests/monks earliest Scientists are astronomers earliest Scientists are astronomers easy access spiritually significant
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How things stood Aristotle dominates how world is thought to work dominates how world is thought to work world at rest, motion caused by angels Ptolemy astronomy based on Aristotle astronomy based on Aristotle
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Ptolemy’s Geocentric System Ptolemy astronomy with perfect circles for planetary motion astronomy with perfect circles for planetary motion cycles and epicycles crystalline spheres fix each planet’s movement crystalline spheres fix each planet’s movement earth at center & sun orbits earth earth at center & sun orbits earth
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Witchcraft Middle Ages convicted witches do heavy penance since they were misguided View changes over time By Renaissance people began to believe that witches actually flew and ate babies By Renaissance people began to believe that witches actually flew and ate babies witches must have committed a pact with the devil of their own free will witches must have committed a pact with the devil of their own free will
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Departing for the SabbathAn Assembly of Witches Popular Images of witches (1600s)
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Witchcraft Major witch hunts occur during the century from 1560 to 1660 (slowly peters out after) Crosses the Atlantic to Salem Massachusetts in 1692 Crosses the Atlantic to Salem Massachusetts in 1692 Witch hunts arise in areas experiencing religious conflict Occurs in areas both Protestant and Catholic. Occurs in areas both Protestant and Catholic.
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Witchcraft Between 1450-1660 approximately 110,000 went to trial approximately 110,000 went to trial approximately 60,000 were executed approximately 60,000 were executed this is only for Church or government officiated trials - many instances are recorded of communities acting on their own this is only for Church or government officiated trials - many instances are recorded of communities acting on their own Women comprise 75% of those executed.
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Examination of a Witch
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Magical Thought Belief in magic was widespread While most educated people professed not to believe, many still held charms, like Queen Elizabeth’s magic ring to ward off the plague Magic was viewed as being either good (tied to the church) or bad alternative was natural magic alternative was natural magicastrologyalchemy.
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The Alchemist - Jan Van der Straet
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II. Causes of the Scientific Revolution Medieval Intellectual Life and Medieval Universities The Italian Renaissance Renewed emphasis on mathematics Renaissance system of patronage Navigational problems of long sea voyages Better scientific instruments
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III. Principles of the Revolution Logic over faith: religion no longer the only possible explanation for events Logic over faith: religion no longer the only possible explanation for events Observe, experiment & publish Observe, experiment & publish Verifiable: Use of mathematics to prove a point Verifiable: Use of mathematics to prove a point Money: Patronage Money: Patronage Questioning: discrepancy between observation and expectations springboards into a search for truth Questioning: discrepancy between observation and expectations springboards into a search for truth
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IV. Consequences of the Scientific Revolution Rise of the “Scientific Community” --Royal Society of London (1662) --Academy of Royal Sciences (1666) The modern scientific method A universe ordered according to natural laws
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IV. Consequences of the Scientific Revolution (cont) Laws discovered by human reason “De-Spiritualized” and de- mystified the Universe Mechanical View of the Universe Deistic View of God --God as the cosmic capitalist
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Scientific Method
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V. Main Scientists Astronomers: Copernicus, Kepler, Galilei Scientific Method: Bacon, Descartes Synthesis: Newton
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Nicholas Copernicus (1473-1543) Polish priest studied in Italy returns to Poland and works on Astronomy writes De Revolutionibus Orbitum Coelestitum (On the Revolutions of Heavenly Spheres) Earth is just another planet with a 24 hour rotation retains circular planetary motion (perfection of the sphere).
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Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) Student of mathematics and astronomy studied with Tycho Brahe tested hypothesis after hypothesis until he determined that planets move in ellipses Three Laws of Planetary Motion 1 planets move in ellipses with sun as one focus 2 velocity of a planet is not uniform 3 equal area of the plane is covered in equal time by the planets.
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Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) Astronomy used a telescope, proved the heavens are not perfect (craters on moon) used a telescope, proved the heavens are not perfect (craters on moon) supported Heliocentric system supported Heliocentric system Laws of Motion dropping weights from the Tower of Pisa dropping weights from the Tower of Pisa imagined motion without constraint!!!! imagined motion without constraint!!!! Thought of inertia Thought of inertia Problems with the church argues for separation of science and theology because we are endowed with reason argues for separation of science and theology because we are endowed with reason 1633 banned by Church and house arrest 1633 banned by Church and house arrest must recant heliocentric system to save neck. must recant heliocentric system to save neck.
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Reactions to Galileo Italy and Spain More freedom in France, England and Holland University of Padua was under Venice, the most anti- clerical state in Europe; Copernicus, Galileo and Harvey studied there Protestants as hostile as Catholics on Biblical grounds, less state control in Protestant nations and in the end Protestant nations become more liberal than at first.
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Methodology in Science Some thinkers were concerned with the Scientific Method Francis Bacon and Rene Descartes were significant, both decided that all previous beliefs (outside religion) had to be ignored.
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Francis Bacon (1561-1626) Proposed INDUCTION make a lot of observations then generalize rules of nature - this leads to scientific observation as a method make a lot of observations then generalize rules of nature - this leads to scientific observation as a method Promoted the modern idea of progress because he wanted application of science Problem of Induction there is no logical reason to go argue from any amount of experience to a general law. there is no logical reason to go argue from any amount of experience to a general law.
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Rene Descartes (1596-1650) Great mathematician - showed that any algebraic equation could be plotted on a graph In this manner he linked Greek with Hindu and Arabic knowledge Also looked at DEDUCTION - go from a theory to the facts Only wants what is absolute “Cogito ergo sum” I think therefore I am leads to proof of God.
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Isaac Newton (1642-1727) Possibly the greatest scientist who ever lived - born on the day Galileo died math/physics/astronomy author of Principia Mathematica in 1687 bringing together Galileo’s discoveries about motion on Earth and Kepler’s discoveries in the heavens bringing together Galileo’s discoveries about motion on Earth and Kepler’s discoveries in the heavens to do so he had to develop calculus to do so he had to develop calculus explained heavenly motion that was tied to observed motion on Earth.
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Isaac Newton Provided a synthesis superior to Aristotle notion of inertia - only have to explain change Three Laws of Motion Nature and nature’s laws lay hid in night God said, “Let Newton be.” and all was light - Pope. 1Bodies move in straight lines unless impeded (inertia) 2Every action has an equal and opposite action 3every body attracts every other body with a force proportional to the distance between
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V. Effect of Revolution Social impact rich get richer rich get richer not much immediate direct change for peasants not much immediate direct change for peasants widens intellectual gap widens intellectual gap effect on navigation, map making and artillery Science has innumerable social effects over time: new guns, bigger armies, more taxes, social discontent guns lead to European colonialism (more accurate cannon fire) guns lead to European colonialism (more accurate cannon fire) new way of observing the world.
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Sight - Jan Brueghel
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