The Scientific Revolution
The Philosophical Medieval View
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Aristotle & 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
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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)
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Greek philosopher
Developed geocentric
model.
Philosophies had longlasting effects on
philosophical theories.
Claudius Ptolemy
(85AD – 165AD)
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Greek astronomer,
mathematician &
geographer
Expanded Aristotle’s
geocentric theory.
Introduced trigonometry
methods.
Before the Scientific
Revolution
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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?
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From 1542 to 1700
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Development of new ways to study universe
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Old authorities no longer blindly accepted
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Application of mathematics to natural world
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Creation and spread of new ideas and
discoveries
Causes of the Scientific
Revolution
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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
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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)
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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-aperfect-heaven-put-sun-at-center
Johannes Kepler (1571-1630)
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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)
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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)
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Gathered observational
data that supported the
Heliocentric Model
Wrote Dialogue
Concerning the Two Chief
World Systems (1632)
Why did the Catholic Church
care?
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Galileo was CATHOLIC!
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The Protestant Reformation
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Events had disturbed the faith of many
Christians
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Movements in the heavens which
contradicted Church doctrine
Isaac Newton (1642-1727)
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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)
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Universe is a giant clock- all
parts work together but God
set clock in motion.
Geocentric vs. Heliocentric
Video Clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOxtiU
PdHiM
(7 minutes)
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Andreas Vesalius
(1514-1564)
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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)
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Published On the
Motion of the Heart
and Blood in Animals
(1628)
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Showed heart acted
as a pump to circulate
blood throughout
body
Francis Bacon
(1561-1626)
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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
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Observation
Research
Hypothesis
Experiment
Analysis
Conclusion
Rene Descartes (1596-1650)
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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?
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Emerged out of
Scientific Revolution &
ended in French
Revolution
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Spokesmen = Rising
Middle Class
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Paris = Center of
Enlightenment
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Search for new
laws/ways to govern
humans
Key Ideas
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Distrust of Tradition
and Religion
Scientific method
could be applied to
society as well
Man is naturally good
The World of the Old Regime
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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
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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)
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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
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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)
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Wrote Leviathan (1651)
Convinced that all
humans are wicked and
evil
Humans exist in a
primitive state and give
consent to the
government for selfprotection
Absolute monarchies
John Locke (1632-1704)
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People learn from experience
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Favored self-gov’t, people rule
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Natural rights: life, liberty,
property
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gov’t protects these rights and
if not, people overthrow gov’t
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Wrote Two Treaties on
Government (1690)
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Inspired American Revolution
Francois Arouet
Voltaire (1694-1778)
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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)
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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)
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Ideas led to people challenging long held
ideas about society
Political philosophies of the Enlightenment
inspired American and French revolutions
in the 1800s