1. Enlightenment and Revolution
Chapter 6

2. The Scientific Revolution
Section 1
The Scientific Revolution

3. The Scientific Revolution
Renaissance, Reformation broke down medieval world view, traditional beliefs
Shift in scientific thinking
By early 1600’s new approach based on hypothesis, observation and experimentation (scientific method)
Mathematics key to understanding truths, used to convert data into information and scientific laws
Earth- centered view (geocentric) idea came from Aristotle
Christianity taught that God had placed the earth at the center of the universe
Beginning in mid-1500’s ideas were challenged by scientists
Change was called the scientific revolution
It was a new way of thinking based on observation and willingness to question accepted beliefs
Combination of discoveries and inventions led to Scientific Revolution
Discovery of new lands challenged old truths, led to new observations that questioned world around them
Ideas spread by printing press

4. The Scientific Revolution
First challenge came in astronomy
1543 Polish scientist Nicolaus Copernicus- theory of heliocentric universe (sun centered)
Earth one of several planets to revolve around sun
Did not publish his findings for 25 years because he knew they would be rejected
Other scientists built on his foundations
Late 1500’s Tycho Brahe found evidence to support heliocentric theory
Johannes Keppler- supported view, found planets move in elliptical orbit

5. The Scientific Revolution
Early 1600’s Italian Scientist Galileo Galilei used a telescope to observe the planets
1610 published a book, Starry Messenger, to describe his observations
He supported theories of Copernicus
His ideas went against church teaching and authority
1616 Catholic Church warned him not to defend his ideas
1633 Galileo called before the pope to sign a confession saying he was wrong
Lived under house arrest for the rest of his life
However his ideas spread across the rest of Europe

6. The Scientific Revolution
Ideas in astronomy were the beginning of a new approach to science (scientific method) that was a logical procedure of collecting information and testing ideas
Gather data to analyze and interpret to reach a new conclusion to confirm or disprove hypothesis
1600’s Rene Descartes and Francis Bacon helped advance the new approach
Bacon, an Englishman, believed that scientists would create practical knowledge to improve people’s daily lives
Urged scientists to use experimentation to draw conclusions (empiricism)
Descartes developed analytical geometry as a tool for scientific research
Both believed that scientists needed to reject old methods and rely on math and logic

7. The Scientific Revolution
Isaac Newton brought together ideas of astronomy and physics in a single theory of motion
Came up with universal law of gravitation that all objects were affected equally by the same forces
Every object attracts every other object
Attraction depends on the mass of objects and distance between them
1687 published The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy one of the most important scientific book ever published
Describe the universe as a giant clock
All parts worked together perfectly in ways that could be expressed mathematically
God was creator of universe and set everything in motion
Dominant theory until early 1900’s (Einstein, Heisenberg)

8. The Scientific Revolution
Scientists developed tools and instruments to make precise observations
1590 first microscope invented
1670’s Anton Van Leeuwenhoek used microscope to observe bacteria
1643 first barometer
1714 first thermometer invented by Gabriel Fahrenheit
1600’s Robert Boyle-chemicals basic building blocks, distinguished between individual elements and chemical compounds
Challenged Aristotle's idea that earth was made up of four elements – air, fire, water, earth-

9. Changing Thought Medieval Earth centered solar system
Limits set by the Church and theology, faith
Destiny is already set from birth
Time, society, world seen as natural and organic
Scientific Revolution
Sun centered solar system
Limits set by rational, logical thought and experiments
Everything can be explained and improved- engineered
Time, society and the world seen as a machine, mechanical, a clock