The Scientific Revolution & The Enlightenment
Dec 31, 2015
RenaissanceRenaissance►After suffering war and plague, Europe After suffering war and plague, Europe
wanted to celebrate lifewanted to celebrate life Questioned the Church & accepted ideasQuestioned the Church & accepted ideas
►““Rebirth” of learning and the arts, Rebirth” of learning and the arts, inspired a spirit of curiosity in many inspired a spirit of curiosity in many areasareas Scholars questioned ideas that had been Scholars questioned ideas that had been
accepted for hundreds of yearsaccepted for hundreds of years Bring back ideas of Greek & RomeBring back ideas of Greek & Rome Transforms the way people see the worldTransforms the way people see the world begins in northern Italy in 14begins in northern Italy in 14thth century & century &
spreads all over Europespreads all over Europe
HumanismHumanism► Intellectual movement focused Intellectual movement focused
on human potential & on human potential & achievementachievement Ancient Greek & Roman Ancient Greek & Roman
valuesvalues Focus on history, literature, Focus on history, literature,
philosophy, “The humanities”philosophy, “The humanities” Can enjoy life w/o offending Can enjoy life w/o offending
GodGod► Renaissance Man: a man who Renaissance Man: a man who
excels in many areasexcels in many areas► WomenWomen
Expected to be educated, Expected to be educated, charming, inspire artcharming, inspire art
Scientific RevolutionScientific Revolution► Scientific Revolution: new Scientific Revolution: new
ways of thinking about the ways of thinking about the world based on observation world based on observation & questioning& questioning
► Before 1500s, the Church Before 1500s, the Church decided truths about the decided truths about the world, few challenged ideasworld, few challenged ideas GEOCENTRIC THEORY: GEOCENTRIC THEORY:
Earth center of universe, Earth center of universe, all planets, sun, moon all planets, sun, moon revolve around earthrevolve around earth
►Aristotle original ideaAristotle original idea►Christianity taught Christianity taught
that God had that God had intentionally done so intentionally done so because earth was a because earth was a special placespecial place
Copernicus & KeplerCopernicus & Kepler► Polish astronomerPolish astronomer► HELIOCENTRIC THEORY: sun is HELIOCENTRIC THEORY: sun is
at center of universe, earth & at center of universe, earth & planets revolve around itplanets revolve around it Copernicus’ writings
threatened the authority of the church
The church rejected Copernicus’ ideas
► Johannes Kepler Johannes Kepler proves proves mathematically that mathematically that planets revolve planets revolve around sunaround sun
The Astronomer Copernicus:
Conversation with God by Jan Matejko
GALILEO GALILEI
Galileo built a telescope to observe the stars and planets
Galileo’s ideas supported the findings of Copernicus
Galileo vs. The ChurchGalileo vs. The Church► Galileo’s findings Galileo’s findings
scare Church leaders scare Church leaders bc they went against bc they went against Church teachingsChurch teachings If people believed If people believed
the church was the church was wrong about this, wrong about this, they could question they could question other ideas…other ideas…
► Pope summons GalileoPope summons Galileo Threatened with Threatened with
torturetorture Signed confession, Signed confession,
denies his findingsdenies his findings Lived under house Lived under house
arrest until death in arrest until death in 16421642
Galileo facing Inquisition in 1616, by Cristiano Banti
Bacon & DescartesBacon & Descartes► Use logic & reason► Helped establish the scientific method ► Bacon: by understanding the world better we
can improve people’s lives Empiricism: experiment & draw conclusions
► Descartes: doubt everything until it is proven Math & logic
Scientific MethodScientific Method►Logical procedure for gathering & Logical procedure for gathering &
testing ideastesting ideas Observation (question)Observation (question) HypothesisHypothesis ExperimentExperiment AnalysisAnalysis ConclusionConclusion
Isaac NewtonPhysicist, mathematician,
astronomer, alchemist, philosopher
discovered three laws of motion and gravity
Universe like clock: all parts work together perfectly, can be explained mathematically, God is clockmaker
Newton’s 6" reflector telescope
Scientific Instruments & Scientific Instruments & MedicineMedicine
Red blood cellsRed blood cells
MicroscopeMicroscope BarometerBarometer
ThermometerThermometer
Dissections
The physician Vesalius dissected corpses to study basic human anatomy.
He is now known as the "Father of Modern Anatomy."
Drawings from Vesalius’ book On the Fabric of the Human Body
Legacy of Scientific Legacy of Scientific RevolutionRevolution
►Transformed the way we see the worldTransformed the way we see the world Discoveries (heliocentric theory)Discoveries (heliocentric theory) Scientific MethodScientific Method Astronomy, medicine, inventionsAstronomy, medicine, inventions
► Inspired many people to think Inspired many people to think differently about the world, especially differently about the world, especially the human conditionthe human condition Inspires the EnlightenmentInspires the Enlightenment