world history notes chapter 6 section 1 religion and science (1450-1750) the scientific revolution
TRANSCRIPT
The Scientific Revolution
Intellectual and cultural transformation Began in Europe 1450 to 1750
Knowledge acquired through: careful observations, controlled experiments, the formulation of general laws, and mathematical expressions
Less reliance on: the authority of the Bible, the Church, the speculations of ancient philosophers, or the received wisdom of cultural tradition
The Question of Origins: Why Europe?
12th and 13th centuries = Europeans developed a legal system that gave a measure of independence to a variety of institutions Ex: the Church; towns and cities;
workers’ guilds; professional organizations; universities
Independence for universities = scholars had the freedom to pursue their studies without interference from the Church or political authorities
Most of the major figures in the Scientific Revolution = trained in or affiliated with these universities
Cambridge University in England
Why Not the Islamic World?
Focus in colleges/universities = Quranic studies and religious law Science was studied outside the
formal system of higher education
Religious scholars = viewed science and philosophy with suspicion To them = Quran holds all the
wisdom Science might challenge the
Quran Science and philosophy lead to
uncertainty and confusion
Why Not China?
Chinese education = focused on preparing males for the civil service examinations Focused on classical
Confucian textsChinese authorities = did
not allow independent institutions of learning where scholars could pursue their studies freely
Nicolaus Copernicus
Polish astronomerStarted his career at
University of Krakow in Poland in 1492
At the forefront of the Scientific Revolution
Started at a time when few people dared to question old beliefs and superstitions
Nicolaus Copernicus
Believed the Earth was round & that it rotated around the sun
Said the sun, not the Earth, was the center of the universe
Challenged the idea that the Earth was unique and at the center of God’s attention
Copernicus continued…
His theory was known as the “Heliocentric Theory”
Spent more than 25 years studying planetary movements.
Did not publish his findings until 1543 (last year of his life) – “On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Bodies” Fear – contradicted religious beliefs Tycho Brahe and Brahe’s assistant Johannes Kepler
concluded that certain mathematical laws govern planetary motion.
Johannes Kepler
German astronomer & mathematicianProtestantUsed math formulas to show that the planets
revolved around the sunPlanets moved in ellipses = ovalsPlanets don’t always travel at the same
speed - move faster as they approach the sun
Galileo Galilei
Italian mathematicianImproved the telescope to
make it more powerful Observed: sunspots,
mountains on the moon, Jupiter’s moons
Created the pendulum clock
1636 = published ideas on physics, astronomy, etc. Book banned by the Catholic
Church
Galileo Galilei
Faced heated opposition by the Catholic Church. Why? If The Church could be wrong about
this then they could question other church teachings also.
1616 – Catholic Church warned him not to defend ideas of Copernicus.
1632 – published “Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems.” Which showed he clearly supported the Copernican Theory.
Pope Paul V summoned him to stand trial by the Inquisition (Inquisition was a permanent institution in the Catholic Church charged with the eradication of heresies)
STOOD BEFORE THE COURT IN 1633 . • UNDER THE THREAT OF TORTURE, HE KNELT BEFORE
THE INQUISITION AND READ ALOUD A SIGNED CONFESSION (PG 191) . IN IT HE AGREED THAT THE
IDEAS OF COPERNICUS WERE FALSE. • HE LIVED UNDER HOUSE ARREST FOR THE REMAINDER OF HIS DAYS AND DIED IN 1642 .
• IN 1992 THE CATHOLIC CHURCH OFFICIALLY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT GALILEO HAD BEEN CORRECT
IN HIS FINDINGS.
Galileo Galilei Continued…
Sir Isaac Newton
British scientistBelow average
student at Cambridge University
Explored the most complicated mathematics of his day
Studied Copernicus & Galileo
Sir Isaac Newton
1665 = plague closed Cambridge University & he was forced to go home to his family
Sitting in his garden one day, he saw an apple fall -- helped him develop his theory of gravity
1687 = published theories about gravity Prevents objects from flying off the
Earth; also holds the solar system together
Believed that God was the creator of this orderly universe, the clockmaker who had set everything in motion.
Sir Isaac Newton
Formulated modern laws of motion and mechanics
Developed calculus = system of math that calculates changing forces or quantities
Proved that math can be used to explain the universe
Francis Bacon
English philosopherTruth found through
investigation & evidence
Helped develop scientific method1. Observe 2. Make hypothesis 3. Test hypothesis 4. Conclusion
Rene Descartes
French philosopher & mathematician
Truth gained through mathematics and logical deduction (reason)
Invented analytic geometry
Famous quote = “I think, therefore I am.”
William Harvey
English physicianConcluded that blood
circulates throughout the body, pumped by the heart and returning through the veins
Before = people thought the liver digested food & processed it into blood
Robert Hooke
English scientistDiscovered the
cellUsed new
microscope -- recognized cells in vegetable tissues
Robert Boyle
Irish chemistConsidered the Father of
Modern ChemistryEstablished chemistry as a
pure scienceProved air wasn’t a basic
element. Challenged Aristotle’s idea that the world consisted of four elements – earth, air, fire, and water.
Boyle’s Law – explains how the volume, temperature, and pressure of gas effect each other.
Joseph Priestley
English chemist & clergyman
Did experiments about the properties of air and discovered the existence of oxygen
His studies on carbon dioxide led to his invention of carbonated drinks (like soda)
Scientific Revolution Spreads
Zacharias Janssen (1590) – created first microscope (previously made eyeglasses)
Evangelista Torricelli (1643) – developed the first mercury barometer - a tool for measuring atmospheric pressure and predicting weather.
Gabriel Fahrenheit (1714) – made 1st thermometer to use mercury in glass. (Freezing at 32 degrees)
Anders Celsius (1742) – created a separate scale for the mercury thermometer. (Freezing at 0 degrees).
Medicine and the Human Body
Andreas Vesalius – proved ancient Greek physician named “Galen” wrong. Galen had only dissected pigs and other animals. Never a human body.
Vesalius dissected human corpses and published his observations in the book, “ On the Structure of the Human Body (1543). It was filled with detailed illustrations of human organs, bones, and muscle.
Edward Jenner (late 1700s) – introduced a vaccine to prevent smallpox. Inoculation had been practiced in Asia for centuries (could be beneficial
but could also be dangerous). Jenner discovered that inoculation with germs from a cattle disease
called “cowpox” gave permanent protection from smallpox for humans. Greatly significant in the world of medicine and for the progression of
mankind.