Global ConnectionsUnit 7

Chapter 13 sectin 5

Scientific Revolution

The Scientific Revolution• Faith and science clash (different

philosophies) (truth over superstition and magic)– No longer willing to chalk events up to

the “Will of God”• In this “revolution” we find the

origins of the modern world brought about by human inquiry

• Nature to be explored in its own right not as evidence of God’s creative powers

A new way of thinking• Francis Bacon

(1561-1626)– Suggests

experimentation to learn about the natural world

– Inductive not deductive reasoning

– Father of modern Empiricism and the scientific method

• Rene Descartes (1596-1650)– “I think therefore I am”– Rationalism: human

reason as the source of knowledge

The changing view of the universe

• The old view: (4th Cen. BC):

• 4 elements (Earth, Air, Fire, Water)

• Geocentrism: Aristotle came up with it and Ptolemy figured out rules to explain planetary motion

• Roman Catholic Influence: 10 separate crystals with planets embedded in them moved around the earth

• Angels moved the spheres in perfect circles

Geocentrism

Nicholas Copernicus (1473-1543)

• Polish cleric• First to challenge Geocentrism in his

book “On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres” (published after his death)

• Only challenged the Geocentric idea but his work led to more questions being asked

Johannes Kepler (1571-1630)• Assistant of Tycho Brahe (Math

genius) Used Brahe’s data to develop three laws of planetary motion– Ellipses not circles– Planets vary their speeds during their

orbits based on distance from sun– Time of orbit is based on distance from

sun

Galileo Galilei (1564-1642)

• 1609 developed the 1st telescope

• 1632 published “Dialogues on the 2 great systems of the Universe”– Conflict with Pope

Urban VIII– 1633 ordered to

repudiate his views• Also did work in

physics (acceleration of falling bodies)

Galileo and the Inquisition

Galileo has been called the "father of modern observational astronomy", the "father of modern physics",the "father of science", and "the Father of Modern Science." The motion of uniformly accelerated objects, taught in nearly all high school and introductory college physics courses, was studied by Galileo as the subject of kinematics. His contributions to observational astronomy include the telescopic confirmation of the phases of Venus, the discovery of the four largest satellites of Jupiter, named the Galilean moons in his honour, and the observation and analysis of sunspots. Galileo also worked in applied science and technology, improving compass design

Newton’s synthesis (1642-1727)

• Author of Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy”– Universal Gravitation:

Every object in the universe is attracted to every other object by a force called gravity

– Inertia: Objects in motion remain in motion unless acted upon by an outside force…

The study of living things• Andreas Vesalius:

Belgium (1514-1564)– The “father of modern

anatomy”• William Harvey:

England (1578 1657)– Circulatory System

Impacts of Scientific Revolution• The Enlightenment

• Weakened the authority of the Roman Catholic Church– The Revolution in science overturned the authority

in not only of the middle ages but of the ancient world -- it ended not only in the eclipse of scholastic philosophy but in the destruction of Aristotelian physics.

• Accelerated Progress and learning• A greater understanding mans place in nature and the

universe• Feeling of superiority of Europeans over others