The Scientific Revolution
The Philosophical Medieval
AristotleView
& Ptolemy from Greece supported
the
Geocentric theory:
Earth was an unmoving object
located at the center of the
universe- the sun and planets
moved around the Earth
Religion guided views too: Christianity
taught that God had placed Earth at the
center of the universe.
The Scientific Revolution
And new philosophy calls all in doubt,
The element of fire is quite put out;
The sun is lost, and th’ earth, and no man’s
wit
Can well direct him where to look for it
’Tis all in pieces, all coherence gone;
-John Donne,
“Anatomy of the World”
Geocentric Theory
Aristotle
(384BC – 322BC)
Greek philosopher
Developed
geocentric model.
Philosophies had long-
lasting effects on
philosophical theories.
Claudius Ptolemy
(85AD – 165AD)
Greek astronomer,
mathematician &
geographer
Expanded Aristotle’s
geocentric theory.
Introduced
trigonometry methods.
Before the Scientific
Revolution
Science was called “natural
philosophy”
Science mixed with moral
philosophy, theology,
numerology, alchemy & magic
Ancient Greek sources highly
trusted
Few experiments were
performed
What was the Scientific
Revolution?
From 1542 to 1700
Development of new ways to study universe
Old authorities no longer blindly accepted
Application of mathematics to natural world
Creation and spread of new ideas and
discoveries
Causes of the Scientific
Revolution
The voyages of
discovery and
colonization
Ancient & Medieval
works translated into
Latin, then vernacular
languages
New inventions &
institutions that
promoted sharing of
knowledge
Heliocentric Model
Earth is not
center of the
universe
Earth is just
another planet
Earth revolves
around the Sun
Night and day
caused by Earth’s
rotation
Heliocentric Theory
Geocentric vs. Heliocentric Models
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyQ8Tb85HrU
Nicolaus Copernicus
(1473-1543)
Sun-centered universe
– heliocentric theory
Earth is no different than
any other planet
On the Revolutions of the
Heavenly Spheres (1543)
http://www.npr.org/2011/11/08/141931239/for-copernicus-a-
perfect-heaven-put-sun-at-center
Johannes Kepler (1571-1630)
Uses experiments &
observations
Planetary movement
is a mathematical
formula
Planets move around
the Sun in elliptical
orbits NOT circles
Confirms Copernicus
ideas
Galileo Galilei (1564-1642)
GALILEO – designs 1st telescope
w/lens & sees movement of stars
& moons (similar to the
movement of the planets)
Church believes heavens are
fixed, unmoving & earth is central
they are furious w/Galileo!
Galileo accused of heresy (crimes
against Church) 1633 brought
to trial before Catholic Inquisition
& he recants his statements
Brainpop
Galileo Galilei (1564 —
1642)
Gathered observational
data that supported the
Heliocentric Model
Wrote Dialogue
Concerning the Two Chief
World Systems (1632)
Why did the Catholic
Church care?
Galileo was CATHOLIC!
The Protestant Reformation
Events had disturbed the faith of
many Christians
Movements in the heavens which
contradicted Church doctrine
Isaac Newton (1642-1727)
Universal law of motion
every object in universe
attracts every other
object
Mathematical Principles of
Natural Philosophy (1687)
- Explained gravity (what
goes up must come down)
Universe is a giant clock-
all parts work together but
God set clock in motion.
Andreas Vesalius
(1514-1564)
First to dissect human
bodies (even though a
disapproved practice)
Wrote On the Fabric of
the Human Body (1543)
His published
observations included
detailed drawings of
human organs, bones &
muscle.
William Harvey (1578-1657)
Published On the
Motion of the Heart
and Blood in
Animals (1628)
Showed heart
acted as a pump to
circulate blood
throughout body
Francis Bacon
(1561-1626)
English politician & writer
with an interest in
science.
Criticized ancient
philosophers on how they
arrived at conclusions.
Urged scientists to
experiment in order to
arrive at conclusions
Developed Scientific
Method
The Scientific Method
Observation
Research
Hypothesis
Experiment
Analysis
Conclusion
Rene Descartes (1596-
1650)
French scientist &
mathematician.
Developed analytical
geometry (links both
algebra & geometry)
Developments
provided new tools
for scientific
research.
The Enlightenment
---
Age of Reason
What was it?
Emerged out of
Scientific Revolution
& ended in French
Revolution
Spokesmen = Rising
Middle Class
Paris = Center of
Enlightenment
Search for new
laws/ways to govern
humans
Key Ideas
Distrust of
Tradition and
Religion
Scientific method
could be applied to
society as well
Man is naturally
good
The World of the Old Regime
Built on tradition
World of hierarchy,
privilege and
inequality
Allied with the Church
Challenged by
supporters of the
Enlightenment
Conflict with the
Capitalistic Middle Class
Size and increasing
power of the Middle
Class
New notion of wealth
w/mercantilism
Tension and discord
created by the Middle
Class
The Philosophes
(Philosophers)
18th century French intellectuals
Truth through reason
Natural laws – natural is good and
reasonable
Happiness – belief in natural laws leads
to happiness
Progress – for society (can be perfected)
Liberties – people should be free
The Problem of Censorship
The attempt of the
Old Regime to control
new thinking
Publishers and writers
hounded by censors
Over 1000
booksellers and
authors imprisoned in
the Bastille in the
early 1700’s
Famous Enlightenment
Thinkers
Thomas Hobbes (1588 –
1679)
Wrote Leviathan (1651)
Convinced that all
humans are wicked and
evil
Humans exist in a
primitive state and give
consent to the
government for self-
protection
Absolute monarchies
John Locke (1632-1704)
People learn from experience
Favored self-gov’t, people
rule
Natural rights: life, liberty,
property
gov’t protects these rights
and if not, people overthrow
gov’t
Wrote Two Treaties on
Government (1690)
Inspired American Revolution
Francois Arouet
Voltaire (1694-1778)
Admired English gov’t
Mocked laws of
France and religion
There should be
separation of church
and state
“Ecrasez l’infame” –
“Crush the evil thing”
Baron de Montesquieu (1689-
1755)
The Spirit of the
Laws (1748)
“Power should be a
check to power” –
this is beginnings of
separation of
powers
Influence in the US
– legislative,
executive, judicial
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
(1712-1778)
Individual freedom
“Man is born free, and
everywhere he is in
chains.”
Direct democracy
1762- Wrote “The Social
Contract” in which he
stated that Gov’t is a
contract b/w people and
rulers
The Role of the Salon – Spreading Ideas
Wealthy women of
Paris hosted social
gatherings known as
salons
Philosophers, writers,
artists, scientists
gathered to share
ideas
Madame Geoffrin –
most influential salon
hostess
Diderot’s Encyclopedia
Encyclopedia (28 volumes)
Collected articles regarding
all topics: science, politics,
economics, slavery, human
rights, religion, etc.
Critics were outraged &
Pope threatened to
excommunicate Catholics
who read it!
Translations helped spread
enlightenment ideas across
Europe
Art and Literature
Enlightenment is reflected in the arts
– music, literature, painting, and
architecture
Baroque – grand and ornate TO
Neoclassical – simple and elegant,
Classical music – Haydn, Mozart,
Beethoven
Development of novels
Enlightened Despotism
The manner of
political reform –
monarchs who
embraced new
ideas& reforms
Frederick the Great
of Prussia
Catherine the Great
of Russia
Joseph II of Austria
Impact of Enlightenment
Ideas led to people challenging long
held ideas about society
Political philosophies of the
Enlightenment inspired American
and French revolutions in the 1800s
