SCIENTIFIC SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION & THE REVOLUTION & THE

ENLIGHTENMENTENLIGHTENMENT

SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTIONSCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION

• The scientific revolution was the emergence of modern science during the early modern period, when developments in mathematics, physics, astronomy, biology (including human anatomy) and chemistry transformed views of society and nature

NICOLAUS COPERNICUSNICOLAUS COPERNICUS

• 1473-15431473-1543

• GermanGerman

• Said the Sun was at the Said the Sun was at the center of the universe, center of the universe, not the Earthnot the Earth• Heliocentric theoryHeliocentric theory

GALILEO GALILEI

• 1564-16421564-1642

• ItalianItalian

• Improved the telescopeImproved the telescope

• Supported Copernicus’ Supported Copernicus’ heliocentric theory, heliocentric theory, pushing away from the pushing away from the geocentric theory that geocentric theory that was big at the timewas big at the time

JOHANNES KEPLER

• 1571-16301571-1630• GermanGerman• Astronomer who discovered three Astronomer who discovered three

major laws of planetary motionmajor laws of planetary motion• the planets move in elliptical

orbits with the Sun at one focus• the time necessary to traverse any

arc of a planetary orbit is proportional to the area of the sector between the central body and that arc

• there is an exact relationship between the squares of the planets’ periodic times and the cubes of the radii of their orbits 

ISAAC NEWTONISAAC NEWTON

• 1643-17271643-1727

• EnglishEnglish

• One of two One of two mathematicians to come mathematicians to come up with calculusup with calculus

• GravityGravity

PHILOSOPHY IN THE AGE OF PHILOSOPHY IN THE AGE OF REASONREASON

• Europeans begin to think that nothing is out Europeans begin to think that nothing is out of reach for human discovery.of reach for human discovery.• Advances in physics, chemistry and medicineAdvances in physics, chemistry and medicine• People feel that People feel that reasonreason could be applied to could be applied to

discover the discover the natural lawsnatural laws, the laws that , the laws that govern human nature.govern human nature.• Reason, not faith, could be used to solve all Reason, not faith, could be used to solve all

problems.problems.

THE ALLURE OF THE SALONTHE ALLURE OF THE SALON• As Louix XIV was getting closer to death, the “who’s who” As Louix XIV was getting closer to death, the “who’s who”

looked for someplace “less stuffy” to gather and enjoy looked for someplace “less stuffy” to gather and enjoy themselves.themselves.

• French French philosophesphilosophes would share their thoughts. would share their thoughts.

• Though women did not express their own views, the Though women did not express their own views, the salonieresaloniere could influence the topic could influence the topic

• Madame Geoffrin Madame Geoffrin regularly corresponded with the King of regularly corresponded with the King of Sweden and Catherine the Great of Russia. Sweden and Catherine the Great of Russia.

• Madame d’Etioles (the future Marquise de Pompadour, Madame d’Etioles (the future Marquise de Pompadour, mistress to King Louis XV) was invited to the Wednesday mistress to King Louis XV) was invited to the Wednesday night dinners. night dinners.

TWO VIEWS OF THE SOCIAL TWO VIEWS OF THE SOCIAL CONTRACTCONTRACT

State of Nature:State of Nature:Thomas HobbesThomas Hobbes

• Wrote Wrote Leviathan Leviathan • In the state of nature, In the state of nature,

people are naturally people are naturally greedy , cruel and selfishgreedy , cruel and selfish

• Social Contracts Social Contracts invented invented to escape that “brutish” to escape that “brutish” life.life.

• People give up state of People give up state of nature for organized nature for organized society.society.

Natural rights:Natural rights:John LockeJohn Locke

• Wrote Wrote Two Treatises on Two Treatises on GovernmentGovernment

• People have People have natural natural rights rights from birthfrom birth

• Governments created by Governments created by people to protect those people to protect those rights.rights.

• Influence seen later in Influence seen later in Declaration of Declaration of IndependenceIndependence

MONTESQUIEU’SMONTESQUIEU’S ““SPIRIT OF THE SPIRIT OF THE LAWS”LAWS”• Baron de MontesquieuBaron de Montesquieu• Studied governments all over Studied governments all over

Europe and also Chinese and Europe and also Chinese and Native American CulturesNative American Cultures

• 1748 – “The Spirit of the 1748 – “The Spirit of the Laws” discusses Laws” discusses governments and praises governments and praises three branch systemthree branch system

• Many ideas would be used in Many ideas would be used in Constitution of the United Constitution of the United StatesStates

THE LOVERS OF THE LOVERS OF WISDOMWISDOM

• Originally named Francois-Mare ArouetOriginally named Francois-Mare Arouet

• Used sharp wit to criticize abuse by corrupt officials, Used sharp wit to criticize abuse by corrupt officials, aristocrats, and clergy.aristocrats, and clergy.

• Imprisoned and exiled, he continued to fight for free Imprisoned and exiled, he continued to fight for free speech.speech.

• I do not agree with a word you say, but I will defend to I do not agree with a word you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say itthe death your right to say it

VoltaireVoltaire

JEAN JACQUES ROUSSEAUJEAN JACQUES ROUSSEAU

• Wrote Wrote The Social ContractsThe Social Contracts• Believed that people in their natural Believed that people in their natural state were basically goodstate were basically good• Promoted the Promoted the general willgeneral will, the will , the will of the majority, which should always of the majority, which should always work toward the common good.work toward the common good.• Individual should be subordinate to Individual should be subordinate to the communitythe community

ADAM SMITH AND LAISSEZ ADAM SMITH AND LAISSEZ FAIREFAIRE

• One of the most famous economists in One of the most famous economists in historyhistory• Wrote Wrote The Wealth of NationsThe Wealth of Nations and and emphasized the law of supply and emphasized the law of supply and demanddemand• Laissez FaireLaissez Faire: economies would be : economies would be guided by an unseen hand and need guided by an unseen hand and need little or no government interference.little or no government interference.• Ideas became popular during industrial Ideas became popular during industrial revolutionrevolution..

MARY WOLLSTONECRAFTMARY WOLLSTONECRAFT

• According to male Enlightenment thinkers, According to male Enlightenment thinkers, women had limited natural rightswomen had limited natural rights• In In A Vindication of the Rights of WomenA Vindication of the Rights of Women, ,

Mary Wollstonecraft in England proposed Mary Wollstonecraft in England proposed that, though women’s first duty was that, though women’s first duty was motherhood, they were not dependent on motherhood, they were not dependent on men.men.• Girls should receive same education as boys Girls should receive same education as boys

so that they could be on same playing field.so that they could be on same playing field.

ABSOLUTISM VS. DESPOTISMABSOLUTISM VS. DESPOTISM

• AbsolutismAbsolutism is an unchallenged rule by a is an unchallenged rule by a single monarchsingle monarch• DespotismDespotism implies iron-fisted rule with implies iron-fisted rule with

general resentment from the populacegeneral resentment from the populace• Absolute rulers are despots only if they Absolute rulers are despots only if they

have alienated their populace; a people have alienated their populace; a people that believed their ruler was divinely that believed their ruler was divinely chosen would not necessarily consider chosen would not necessarily consider their monarch a despot.their monarch a despot.