Science – A New Way of Thinking

1. Science – A New Way of Thinking

2. The Trial of Galileo “Galileo entered the hushed courtroom and knelt in front of the Cardinals. The Church had always taught that the Earth was at the centre of the universe. Galileo had published a book in which he argued that the Sun was at the centre, and the Earth – like the other planets – travelled around it. Galileo based his conclusions on observations he made with the new, powerful telescope he had developed. The Church charged Galileo with heresy and ordered him to give up his views. If he refused, he knew he might be tortured or even burned alive for heresy. Galileo made his decision. He read out a statement denying his belief in a Sun-centred universe. For publishing a book (Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems) that challenged Church teachings, Galileo was sentenced to house arrest on his estate for the rest of his life. The Church put his book on the Index of Prohibited Books, a list of titles that Catholics were forbidden to read. But Galileo knew that he was right. After he finished reading the statement, he is believed to have whispered to himself, “Eppur si muove” (But the Earth still moves).” Q: According to the story, why was Galileo sentenced to house arrest? Q: With which elements of the worldviews icon did Galileo's knowledge conflict? See textbook for elements. Q: What would you have done if you were Galileo? Why?

3. The Scientific Method • Attitudes toward science started to change during the Renaissance • Thinkers started to expand the range of texts they read • The new idea of Humanism encouraged people to question and experiment • What belief is this? • Scientific Method: The process of making observations, experimenting and drawing conclusions based on evidence • This led to discoveries in many different areas of science • Astronomy, medicine and mathematics

4. We must consult experience in the variety of cases and circumstances until we can draw from them a general rule that is contained in them. And for what purposes are these rules good? They lead us to further investigations of nature and to creations of art. - Leonardo da Vinci 1. Identify the problem or question 7. Repeat the steps 2. Gather information on the problem. The Scientific Method 6. State a conclusion 3. Form a hypothesis, or educated guess 5. Record and analyze data 4. Experiment to test the hypothesis

5. Astronomy • For thousands of years, most people believed that the Sun went around the Earth • Ptolemy introduced this idea of the universe • Europeans believed that God had placed the Earth at the centre • Why would this make sense to Christians at this time? • The new theories presented by Galileo and others threatened this long-standing worldview • It would permanently change how people looked at the universe

6. Astronomers and Their Ideas

7. Medicine “In one pound of olive oil cook ten green lizards and filter them through linen; add one measure of marjoram and wormwood; cook slowly and set by for use.” - Medieval prescription for treating wounds • What does the above RX tell us about early medicine? • Doctors had little knowledge about anatomy and the causes of disease • Remedies were based on astrology, superstition, bloodletting, and the four humours • During the Renaissance, midwives and others who had knowledge of herbal remedies played an important role in treating sickness • During the Renaissance, medical knowledge increased • Particularly in anatomy and surgery • The scientific method began to be applied to how the human body worked – yay humanism! Francois Rabelais Physician and Translator

8. Anatomy • During the Renaissance, dissection was made legal in many Italian cities • Andreas Vesalius of Padua University, dissected bodies while his students observed • De Humani Corporis Fabrica (On the fabric of the human body) • Dissection was very controversial up until the Renaissance; it was discouraged greatly by the Church • Why do you think this is? • Look at the anatomy class. Would one look different today?

9. Leonardo da Vinci And the Human Body

11. Mathematics • Ancient works by Euclid (geometry) and al-Khwarizmi (algebra) were studied with new attention during the Renaissance • Da Vinci and others believed that mathematics was the basic tool needed for understanding the universe • Mathematical proofs were an important part of the scientific method • Math was used in many disciplines • Math became increasingly important in the changing economy • Used by the merchant class Earlier civilizations contributed much to Renaissance mathematics - India: the number zero - Muslim Civilization: refined the decimal system

12. Perspective • Perspective had been known in the ancient world, but no record of it has ever been found • Renaissance architect Filippo Brunelleschi rediscovered perspective • He used perspective drawings to show how the buildings he was planning to build would look • He developed his technique through experimentation and by applying mathematical principles • Perspective was also used in many different areas • Painters, sculptors, engineers, architects and even musicians • Provides an illusion of depth

13. Brunelleschi's Technique • 1. He began by painting over a reflection of a building called the Baptistry on the surface of a mirror • 2. Then, in order to prove that his painting was identical to the Bapistry, he drilled a small peephole in the painted mirror and stood in front of the Bapistry • 3. He looked through the hole in the back of the painted mirror and held up blank mirror to block his view of the Bapistry. The blank mirror reflected his painted image • 4. By moving the blank mirror in and out of the way, he could see that his painted image was identical to the actual building

14. Homework Assignment • 1) Renaissance worldview encouraged observation and experimentation to learn about the world. What discoveries were made as a result of this? Fill in the following chart. /9