The Scientific Revolution:
Copernicus, Galileo, and beyond
1500
1550
Copernicus----->
1600
1650
1700
<---------Galileo------------> <--------------------------Newton
Kepler
<---------Brahe--------->
.
Warm Up
• How did Europe get out of
the Middle Ages?
• How do you prove a
scientific theory? Why is
this process important?
• Essential Question: What
innovations during the
Scientific Revolution helped
to create the modern era?
Scientific Revolution
Define: *A movement that challenged medieval
worldview and created a new way of thinking about
the physical universe.
*The Renaissance (new ideas on art and learning)
+ The Reformation (new ideas on religion)
+ The Scientific Revolution (new ideas on the
physical universe) = break from Medieval Era
Significance
• Scientific Revolution determines that
mathematical laws govern nature
• The Physical World can be changed/
manipulated/ understood by humans
• Scientific explanations / discoveries can
change the way people live and think about
the universe
The Scientific Method Develops
• Renaissance Rediscovers of ancient Greek
thinkers (Plato)
– Taught that mathematics and observation key to
learning the truth / laws about nature
• Francis Bacon and Rene Descartes
– Challenged assumptions and determined that
truth can only be found after an investigative
process (Scientific Method)
The Scientific Method
• 1. State the Problem
• 2. Gather Information (Research)
• 3. Form a Hypothesis (an educated guess)
• 4. Experiment to test your Hypothesis
• 5. Collect Data
• 6. Draw a conclusion
• 7. Communicate – share data, answer questions
*Scientists create scientific laws from Experiments and
observations
For Example:
Newton’s Laws
• Inertia: An object moves
at constant velocity,
unless it feels a net force.
• Force: Force equals mass
times acceleration
• Action and Reaction: for
every action there is an
equal and opposite
reaction
• The Scientific Revolution was a renaissance
(rebirth) of…
– Scientific process, and logic
– Middle Ages = No Science/ belief in Religion/bible,
etc.
• Individuals drove the Scientific Revolution by…
math and observation
• How has the scientific method impacted our
lives … (what discoveries have been made
using the Scientific Method?)…
– Medicine, flu shots, scientific machines
The Development of Science
Greek and Roman astronomers ruled
the Middle Ages
• Greek astronomers (Ptolemy)
viewed the galaxy as geocentric
(Earth centered)
• The Catholic Church endorsed
these scientists
• Why would Ptolemy believe in a
geocentric universe?…
• What assumptions did he make?
Copernicus questioned the Greeks
Skepticism – challenging assumptions
• Applied the scientific method to his approach:
hypothesized, gathered data, drafted
conclusions
• Copernicus used observation & math to prove
the heliocentric (sun centered) model
• Didn’t publish his theory while alive, for fear of
rejection/questioning by peers
Galileo Galilei
• Why would Galileo fit
the description of a
Renaissance Man (or
a Jack-of-all-trades)?
• How did Galileo prove
Copernicus’s
heliocentric (suncentered) theory?
http://vimeo.com/204352
Ptolemaic (Tol-uh-may-ic)
Universe – 150 AD
V.S.
Copernican Universe – 1543 AD
New Ideas about the Universe
How does a Scientific Idea Develop?
• Ptolemy –
• Copernicus –
• Kepler -
Discussion Questions
• How might a change this drastic make people
feel about their world and their place in it?
• How would your ideas have to change if you
believed in Copernicus’ idea?
• Do you/we believe/follow his ideas today?
Reactions to a Heliocentric Universe
• How did People React to a New Theory on the
Universe?
Martin Luther’s Reaction
“People gave ear to an upstart astrologer who strove to
show that the earth revolves, not the heavens or the
firmament, the sun and the moon...This fool wishes to
reverse the entire science of astronomy; but sacred
scripture tells us [Joshua 10:13] that Joshua commanded the
sun to stand still, and not the earth.”
How does Martin Luther feel about Copernicus’s
theory?
What does Martin Luther think we should believe?
Martin Luther, “Table Talk,” (June 4, 1539) quoted in Thomas Kuhn, The Copernican
Revolution, NY: Vintage Books, 1959, p. l91
Shakespeare’s Reaction
In the ‘Degree’ speech in Troilus and Cressida, Ulysses says
that the universe shows men the value of the harmony of the
geocentric theory: ‘The Heavens themselves, the Planets, and
this center the Earth, observe degree, priority, and place.’
Ulysses goes on to warn that when the planets ‘in evil mixture
to disorder wander’ then the hierarchy on Earth is in danger.
Later in the play Troilus states that this has already happened:
"The bonds of heaven are slipped, dissolved, and loosed."
What sort of universal model does Shakespeare believe in?
Peter Usher, “Shakespeare and the New Astronomy,” The Oxfordian, Vol. 5 (2002): 132-146.
Questions for you and a partner:
• What type of evidence did Copernicus use to
prove his theory?
• What type of evidence did Luther and
Shakespeare use to prove their beliefs?
• What was Copernicus most concerned with?
• What most concerned Luther and
Shakespeare?
Questions for you and a partner:
• What type of evidence did Copernicus use to
prove his theory?
• What type of evidence did Luther and
Shakespeare use to prove their beliefs?
• What was Copernicus most concerned with?
• What most concerned Luther and
Shakespeare?
Scientific Revolution
Copernicus
Johannes Kepler
Galileo Galilei
Tycho Brahe
Francis Bacon
Rene Descartes
Andreas Vesalius
Ambroise Pare
William Harvey
Anton van
Leeuwenoek
Robert Boyle
Isaac Newton
Developed sun-centered universe theory
Individuals Advance the Sciences
• In what fields was progress made during
the Scientific Revolution? (what sort of
topics did individuals make advances in?)
• How did these scientists work to
advance the core values of humanism?
• How did the findings of these scientists
improve the tolerance of science?
• How did the findings of these scientists
cause instability in Europe?
Copernicus
Developed sun-centered universe theory
Tycho Brahe
Provided evidence to support Copernicus’s theory
Thinkers
ofthethe
Calculated
orbitsScientific
of planets around theRevolution
sun
Johannes Kepler
Galileo Galilei
Assembled the astronomical telescope
Francis Bacon
Stressed observation and experimentation – scientific method
Rene Descartes
Rejected Aristotle’s scientific assumptions with Francis Bacon. Was
French. – scientific method
Andreas Vesalius
Wrote first human anatomy book
Ambroise Pare
Medical breakthroughs – ointment for infections, artificial limbs, etc.
William Harvey
Circulation of blood (veins and arteries)
Anton van
Leeuwenoek
A Dutch inventor who perfected the microscope & became the 1st human
to see cells & micro-oraganisms
Robert Boyle
An English chemist who found out that matter was composed of tiny
particles. Also found the difference between compounds and elements.
Isaac Newton
Showed that a single force keeps the planets in their orbits around the
sun. Called it gravity
Questions
• How did individuals like Copernicus and
Galileo, among others, work to advance the
core values of humanism?
• How did the findings of Copernicus and
Galileo improve the tolerance of science?
• How did the findings of Copernicus and
Galileo cause instability in Europe?
The Catholic Church’s Reaction
• Pope called Galileo to Rome
• Galileo was put on trial for heresy since he
– had said Copernicus was correct
– went against geocentric Biblical teachings
• Faced with torture, he renounced his findings
• Was put on house arrest for the rest of his life
In the end, how was Galileo able to renounce his
findings, but not really lose any credit?
How Galileo Extended the Revolution
• Developed a compound microscope
• Made a law to explain action of pendulums
• Began observations with a refracting
telescope that he designed
• Used the scientific method of hypothesis,
investigation, and conclusion
• He proved Copernicus’s heliocentric model
Galileo Inspired Others
• Johannes Kepler investigated a way to describe
the motion of the planets around the sun – Laws
of Planetary Motion
• Isaac Newton applied his idea of gravity to prove
the Laws of Planetary Motion
• Newton invented Calculus to explain all of this
motion
Conclusion:
The HELIOCENTRIC model won, even after the
Church tried to shut down Galileo