1. The Life and Times of Plato, Bruno, Margaret Kavendish, and Maria Winkelman

2. Plato After father’s death, grew up w/ stepfather Pyrilampes
• As a child studied philosophy under Cratylus

3. Plato cont’d Socrates disciple In military for 5 years
Socrates forced suicide left him deeply scarred
Joined Thirty years Tyrants w/ uncle Charmides
Left shortly when exposed to heavy violence

4. Plato Final Wrote a total of 36 Dialogues & 13 Letters
In Italy, advised Syracuse family
Developed theory of forms, Platonic realism, Platonic idealism
Created the Academy in Athens
Taught a young Aristotle
Most likely died and buried on Academy grounds

5. Giordano Bruno Born Filippo Bruno in 1548
Dominican Friar Who studied astronomy, astrology, and philosophy
His ideas further expanded Copernicus’ heliocentric theory

6. Bruno cont’d Accurately predicted Sun was just another star
Also believed there to be an infinite # of planets, some of which are inhabited by intelligent beings
Became a martyr during Roman inquisition

7. Margaret Cavendish British aristocratic writer and scientist
Born Margaret Lucas, daughter of John Lucas (1623)
Traveled w/ Henrietta Maria in exile to france where she lived in young Louis XIV’s court
Published about natural philosophy and early scientific law under her own name, unusual for women of her time (21 tot.)
Criticized Hobbes, Descartes, and Boyle

8. Maria Winkelmann German who believed in equal opportunity (sex)
Studied w/ self-taught farmer/astronomer Chrisopher Arnold, through whom she met future husband and fellow astronomer Gottfried Kirch
Worked together create calendars, ephemeredes, almanacs
First woman to discover a comet(1702) Kirch credited

9. Maria Winkelmann cont’d
Observed Aurora Borealis (1707)
Conjunction of Sun w/ Saturn & Venus
Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn
Son Christfried became Head astronomer, while she and her daughter assisted
Forced to retire and died in 1720
Succeeded by 3 daughters and son

10. Citations http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giordano_Bruno