Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment

1. Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment

2. Main Ideas of Enlightenment Science • Before the 1500’s “Natural Philosophers” did not make observations themselves but instead relied on ancient authorities (especially Aristotle). This slowly began to change as • People began to question Church “science” • When things didn’t make sense, people wanted to find out how things worked for themselves. • Gutenberg’s Printing Press spread new ideas • - Ideas laid the foundation for a modern worldview based on rationalism and secularism (wanted things to made sense and be explainable) - Enlightenment intellectuals advocated individual rights, paving the way for the rise of democracy - People were interested in studying man’s concept of his place in the universe changes - New philosophies bring about social change

3. Changes is thought • After the 95 Thesis of Luther, it was more acceptable to question the Catholic Church (but NOT OK with the church) • It was believed that the only way to know something was true was to use your own senses to see, hear, etc…it for yourself • Separation of Sciences/specialization (individuals began work on one or a few areas instead of trying to know everything…no more Renaissance men) • view of the “clockwork” universe. God is a clockmaker.

4. There were 3 thoughts of how the universe worked. Two of which were against the Catholic Church and could therefore get you killed for heresy.

5. The thoughts of Ptolemy (from ancient Rome) • geocentric- the Earth was round and was the center of the universe • universe is a series of concentric spheres (like jelly containing planets, asteroids, etc… • the spheres move around the Earth

6. The Thoughts of Copernicus- Poland 1473-1543 Heliocentric- the sun was the center of the universe and the planets revolve around it Stars are set in place and do not move. • believed the sun contained God • Humans are no longer the “center” of the universe

7. Copernicus was a mathematician, astronomer, physician, classical scholar, translator, Catholic cleric, jurist, governor, military leader, and economist. Astronomy was just a hobby for him…….and he changed the world through it!

8. Johann Kepler’s beliefs on the Universe • Heliocentric- sun centered • paths of orbit are elliptical instead of circular • perfectly predicted planetary motions

9. Galileo Galilei • Provided the evidence that clinched the Copernican-Keplerian view of the universe • used the telescope to systematically study the heavens, discovered that while the planets orbit the sun the moon actually orbits the earth, and many other moons orbit other planets. • was charged with heresy by the Catholic Church

10. New Number Systems began to be accepted Calculate this: MDMCXLVII x CCCLXXIII - Roman numerals were difficult to deal with - The adoption of Arabic numerals (which were actually Hindu) in the Middle Ages enabled the calculations which led to Ptolemy’s model being overthrown

11. Francis Bacon and Rene Descartes Bacon Descartes Believed that Nothing should be accepted until it is proven to be true. The only truth that you can accept is that you are alive. “I think, therefore I am.

12. Isaac Newton • Published Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy (Principia Mathematica) • Defined three laws of motion that governed the universe • An object at rest will stay at rest and an object in motion will stay in motion until acted upon by an outside force…etc… • Universal law of gravitation= every object in the universe is attracted to another object by gravity (this explains the elliptical orbits of the planets) • Invented calculus (along with Leibniz)