Scientific Revolution & Enlightenment

1. Scientific Revolution & Enlightenment Strayer Ch. 16

2. Scientific Revolution • Humanistic emphasis shaped attitudes toward scientific though • Based knowledge on direct observation & mathematics • Reliance on human reason for understanding scientific phenomena • Further weakened the influence of the Catholic Church

3. Scientific Revolution • Methods devised form the basis for science today – mathematical formulation, freedom of inquiry • Contrasted with Scholasticism (inquiry based on principles established by the church) • Clashes occurred between scientists and religious /political authorities – as a result, findings were not always made public

4. Scientific Revolution • The church accepted the geocentric theories of Ptolemy & Aristotle – the earth remained stationary, the sun, moon, and stars orbited around it. • Copernicus – devised heliocentric theory • Promoted the view that the earth & planets revolved around the sun • Johannes Kepler – elliptical orbits of planets • Galileo Galilee – improved telescope • Sir Isaac Newton – laws of motion, gravity

5. Scientific Revolution • By this point, educated Europeans began to view the universe differently. • Universe functioned according to mathematical principles, “machine of the universe” is self-regulating • Deism • Knowledge of the universe can be obtained through reason • The Catholic Church declared heliocentric theory as heresy; all writings claiming the earth moved on its axis were forbidden. • Galileo was forced to renounce his belief that the earth moved around an orbit & rotated on its axis • No early scientists rejected Christianity

6. Meanwhile, in China… • In China the approach to science was more practical – interest in science based on its perceived usefulness • In Europe thinkers were enthralled with the idea of general laws of nature that could explain broad patterns • Similar to Ancient Greek, Roman, and Islamic scholars • Overall, scientists convinced it was fully within the reasoning power of humans to understand the workings of the universe

7. Enlightenment • As ideas of the Scientific Revolution reached a wider European audience, the scientific approach was applied to human affairs. • Enlightenment thinkers believed that knowledge could transform society. • Tended to be satirical, critical, & hostile to established authorities. • Attacked government, divine right, aristocratic privilege • Many writers advocated education for women.

8. Enlightenment Thinkers • Thomas Hobbes – believed that humans must be controlled by absolute rulers • John Locke – sought to understand the impact of laws of nature on human liberties and equality, questioned Hobbes’ theories • Second Treatise of Government – social contract, consent of the government • Adam Smith – analyzed natural law of supply and demand, Wealth of Nations

9. Enlightenment Thinkers • 18th century France was the center • Philosophes (intellectual philosophers) debated – salon culture • Baron de Montesquieu – advocated government with three branches sharing power • Voltaire – wrote witty criticisms (satire) of French monarchy and Catholic Church • Rousseau – Social Contract, man is born free and everywhere he is in chains

10. Enlightenment • Much Enlightenment thought attacked established religion. • Many Enlightenment thinkers were deists, believing in a remote deity who created the world but doesn’t intervene (Podcast: Stuff You Missed in History Class – Jefferson’s Bible) • Some were pantheists – equated God & nature • Some even regarded religion as a fraud • Enlightenment thought was influenced by growing global awareness • Central theme: the idea of progress

11. Why did the Scientific Revolution occur in Europe rather than in China or the Islamic world?