TheScientificRevolution

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Discoveries & Achievements The Scientific

Revolution began in the middle decades of the 16th century and continued through the early part of the 18th century. It involved gradual developments in astronomy, physics, chemistry, and biology.

Was there science before the revolution?

Before the 19th century (1899 and before) what WE call “science” was referred to as …..

NATURAL

PHILOSOPHY

This included:

Moral Philosophy

TheologyNumerology

Magic

6Based on ancient speculations: “The School of the Athens” by Raphael (1510)

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View of the Universe 500 Years Ago:Drawn from Greek & Arabic sources

Motionless Earth is at the Center of the Universe.

It is surrounded by water, Then a ring of air, then A ring of fire.

There were a series of Crystal spheres in which Each heavenly object Was housed. These Moved around the earth.

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The Ptolemaic Universe : Ideas about uniform circular motion and epicycles were catalogued by Ptolemy in 150 A.D. in his book the Almagest.

Ptolemy

9Aristotle’s Prime Mover

Earth is at the center

of the Universe

All motion in the

heavens is uniform circular motion

Celestial objects are made from

perfect material and

cannot change their properties (e.g., their

brightness).

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Philosopher-theologian Thomas Aquinas (1222-1274) rediscovered Aristotle and blended his ideas with medieval theology.

11Medieval Representation of Ptolemaic Universe

STABILITY Earth was at center. Mankind

important in God’s plan

COMFORTIndividual could

locate God. Soul’s destination would

be above or below.

REASSURANCEDivine power would triumph over corruption and decay of

earthly things and lift the soul to an

afterlife in heaven

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Aristotle’s Prime Mover became the

God of Christian theology.

The outermost sphere

became the Christian heaven.

Earth at center represented the Christian

God’s concern for mankind.

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Science became the domain of the CHURCH because they are the educated class. So trying to develop new ideas in the area of science is the same as HERESY (going against the Church and God)

“Science” Before the Scientific Revolution

Based almost entirely on reasoning

Experimental method or observation wasn’t used at all

Science in medieval times• Alchemy• Astrology• DE Video (pg 3)

A medieval alchemist

Factors Leading to the Scientific Revolution

Rise of universities

Contact with non-Western societies

The Renaissance

Exploration The printing

press The

Reformation

• In the 1500s and 1600s the Scientific Revolution changed the way Europeans looked at the world.

• People began to make conclusions based on experimentation and observation, instead of merely accepting traditional ideas.

The Scientific Revolution

The Scientific Method• By the early 1600s, a new approach to science had emerged, known as the Scientific Method.

• Unlike earlier approaches, the scientific method did not rely on the classical thinkers or the Church, but depended upon a step-by-step process of observation and experimentation.

Scientific Method – painstaking method used to confirm findings and to prove or disprove a hypothesis.

• Scientists observed nature, made hypotheses, or educated guesses, and then tested these hypotheses through experiments.

Rise of the Scientific Community Developed the modern scientific method Universe ordered according to natural laws Discovered that scientific laws can be

discovered by HUMAN REASON Took the role of a deity or god out of the

study of the universe Mechanical views of the universe Deistic view of God- great “watchmaker”