1. The Scientific Revolution
Chapter 10, Section 1

2. Background to Revolution
Scientists in the Middle Ages were known as “natural philosophers”
Relied on few authorities for knowledge
Did not really study the world around them
Renaissance and humanist movements change this
Focus on Greek and Latin
opens studies of individuals like Ptolemy, Archimedes, and Plato
New inventions
Telescopes, microscopes, printing press, new calculation tools

3. Astronomy The Ptolemaic system Ptolemy (AD 90 -168)
Stated the solar system was geocentric, or revolved around the Earth
10 spheres made of a transparent substance made planets and stars rotate around Earth in circular orbits
Heaven and God were beyond the 10th sphere

4. Astronomy Cont’d Nicholas Copernicus (1473-1543)
Published On Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres
Argued the solar system to be heliocentric, or sun-centered
All planets in our solar system rotate around the sun, moon rotates around Earth
Johannes Kepler ( )
Used mathematics to prove Copernicus’ theories
Also showed orbits of planets to be egg-shaped, not circular

5. Astronomy Cont’d Galileo Galilei (1564 – 1642)
Used the telescope to make observations of other planets
Publishes The Starry Messenger in 1610
Argued that heavenly bodies (planets and stars) were made of material, not light
Theories went against Church teachings & the idea that everything outside of orbit was spiritual
His works were actually banned, and he was found guilty of being a heretic
Sentenced to house arrest in 1632, would remain under arrest for the rest of his life

6. Astronomy Cont’d Isaac Newton (1642 – 1727)
Defined the three laws of motion in his book Principia
Developed the universal law of gravitation
Every object in the universe is attracted to every other object in the universe by gravity
Showed that math could explain all motion in the universe

7. Medicine Middle Ages: Scientific Revolution: Galen (130 – 200 AD)
Dissected animals to try to determine how the human body works
Scientific Revolution:
Andreas Vesalius ( )
Dissected human bodies at the University of Padua to determine how they worked
William Harvey (1578 – 1657)
Showed the workings of the circulatory system
Argued the heart as the beginning of blood flow
Robert Boyle (1627 – 1691)
Used controlled experiments to determine properties of gasses

8. Women and Modern Science
Margaret Cavendish (1623 – 1673)
Said humans were not masters of nature, but only a small part
Maria Winkelmann (1670 – 1720)
One of the foremost authorities on astronomy
Discovered planetary bodies like comets

9. Descartes and Reason Rene Descartes (1596-1650)
Discourse on Method written in 1637
Looked at the individual and their importance
“I think, therefore I am”
Known as the father of rationalism
Reason is the chief source of knowledge

10. The Scientific Method
Scientific method is a systematic procedure for collecting and analyzing evidence
Developed by Francis Bacon
Bacon also said scientists should use inductive reasoning
Systematic observations and carefully organized experiments that test hypotheses
Bacon said that this method could be used to control and dominate nature

11. Exit Slip What factors led to the Scientific Revolution?
How did Ptolemy and Nicholas Copernicus differ in their views of the solar system?
Cavendish vs Bacon – Do you think mankind can control nature? Will mankind ever be able to control nature? Explain your answer.