CHAPTER 21.1 THE SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION
CHAPTER 21.1THE SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION
VOCABULARY
• Geocentric: Earth-centered view of the universe
• Heliocentric: Sun-centered view of the universe
• Philosopher: A person who seeks wisdom or enlightenment; a scholar or a thinker
CAUSES OF THE SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION
• Increased need for careful observation and accurate measurements
• Invention of new instruments like the telescope and microscope
• Printing press allowed new ideas to spread quickly and easily
• Mathematics was seen as key to every scientific achievement
• A new way of thinking about the natural world becomes known as the Scientific Revolution
• Willingness to question beliefs
SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGHS
The Ptolemaic System
• A model of the universe that combined ideas of Aristotle, Christianity, and Ptolemy
• Geocentric
Copernicus and Kepler
• Copernicus published On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Bodies
• Determined that the universe is heliocentric
• Kepler builds on ideas of Copernicus
• Elliptical orbits
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpSy0Lkm3zM
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“ Ptolemy is compared to a whimsical cook who, instead of turning his meat in roasting, should…contrive to have his whole fire, kitchen and all, whirling continually ‘round it.
Benjamin Franklin
SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGHS
Galileo’s Discoveries
• Builds own telescope in 1609 CE
• Observations and discoveries challenge those of old Greek philosophers
• Heavenly bodies (planets) made up of material substance, not pure light
• Published The Starry Messenger; many Europeans made aware of the universe
• Threatened by the Catholic Church to recant theories
NEWTON’S VIEW OF THE UNIVERSE
• Isaac Newton is often called the greatest genius of the Scientific Revolution
• Published Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy or Principia
• In Principia, Newton defined three laws of motion
• Main idea is the universal law of gravitation: Explains that planetary bodies continue their elliptical orbits around the sun because every object in the universe is attracted to every other object by a force called gravity
BREAKTHROUGHS IN MEDICINE AND CHEMISTRY
Robert Boyle
• Proposed that matter was made up of smaller particles that joined together in different ways
Antoine Lavoisier
• Conservation of matter; “father of modern chemistry”
• First list of elements
• Devised the metric system
William Harvey
• Heart is the beginning point for blood circulation
PHILOSOPHY AND REASONDescartes
• Rene Descartes brought philosophical perspective to the natural sciences; separation of mind and matter
• Father of modern rationalism: system of thought based on the belief that reason is the chief source of knowledge
Francis Bacon and the Scientific Method
• Francis Bacon devised the Scientific Method: A systematic procedure for collecting and analyzing evidence
• Scientists should proceed from the particular to the general—inductive reasoning
• “I think, therefore I am.”
• “We cannot doubt of our existence while we doubt.”
With your table partner, discuss what these quotations from Descartes mean
EXAMPLES OF INDUCTIVE REASONING
Example 1:
• Mr. Shipp used PowerPoint to teach on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
Therefore, Mr. Shipp will use PowerPoint to teach on Thursday as well.
Example 2:
• Every fall there are hurricanes in the tropics.
Therefore, there will be hurricanes in the tropics this coming fall.
Example 3:
• Eight months ago I met a doctor from Prescott and he was friendly.
• Five months ago I met a car mechanic from Prescott and he was friendly.
• Last week I met a waitress from Prescott and she was friendly.
Therefore, people from Prescott must be friendly.