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The Scientific Revolution in Europe

The Scientific Revolution in Europe. The Great Chain of Being. Before the Scientific Revolution. Knowledge based on belief, superstition Challenge to Church = heresy Belief in the Great Chain of Being How would this impact people trying to learn new things?.

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The Scientific Revolution in Europe

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  1. The Scientific Revolution in Europe

  2. The Great Chain of Being

  3. Before the Scientific Revolution • Knowledge based on belief, superstition • Challenge to Church = heresy • Belief in the Great Chain of Being • How would this impact people trying to learn new things? “Racial” implications of the Great Chain of Being (1868, Ernst Haeckel’s NatürlicheSchöpfungsgeschichte)

  4. Scientific Revolution (Natural Philosophy) • Basing ideas on reason, not belief • Reason: Using logic and observation to figure something out Why do pit bulls have such a bad reputation? • Because they are mean dogs and they are owned by people who care more about their dogs than other people. • Logic? Observation? What would this look like when applied to the pit bull question?

  5. Impetus for the Scientific Revolution • Medieval Universities • Muslim science (Arabic and Persian math) • Ancient texts translated into Arabic then Latin • Math, astronomy, physics new fields • Renaissance • Patrons • Artists • Realism, use of science, geometry, natural world • Printing press • Age of Exploration • Navigational tools • Better instruments=more accurate observations and new knowledge • Other “science” • Alchemy • Magic • Astrology

  6. Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) • 1543 “On the Revolution of the Heavenly Bodies” • Posits a Heliocentric universe • Kept it to himself (Why?)

  7. Aristotelian View of the Universe

  8. Ptolomy’s vs. Copernicus’ Universe

  9. Kepler (1571-1630) • German Protestant • Not bound by Catholic Church • Pursues math behind Copernicus and takes up Galileo’s work • Elliptical orbits • Speed of planets not uniform • Distance from sun dictates duration of orbit

  10. Galileo Galilei (1564-1642)“Eppursimuove.” • Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher • Use of repeated experiments to learn about gravity, inertia • “Father of modern observational astronomy” via use of telescope • 1614 open letter asserts Bible’s irrelevance for scientific knowledge • Dialogue (Copernicus vs. Ptolomy) • House arrest, book burned • “It still moves.”

  11. Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626): Father of the Scientific Method • No a priori assumptions: “If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts, but if he will be content to begin with doubts, he shall end in certainties.” • Primacy of empirical observations • Develop a theory • Express it in mathematics • Experimentation (test the theory) Inductive reasoning: Look at lots of evidence and from these, infer a general principle. • “All bachelors are unmarried.” • “All bachelors are happy.” • Which of the above is a priori knowledge? Why?

  12. Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) • Inspired by works of Galileo: posited idea of gravity • Three laws of motion come from the original idea of gravity • Developed calculus: to demonstrate how motion works • Published his work, Principia, 1687 • New world view: God’s universe runs according to natural, discoverable laws • Deism (God the great watchmaker) • “Fall of the every sparrow”

  13. Scientific Revolution beyond science… • Why can’t other fields be challenged? • Philosophy: Descartes • “Hyperbolic doubt”: there are no certainties, other than Cogito ergo sum (“I think, therefore I am.” ) • Truth built back up from the fundamental existence of the thinking self (“I”) • deductive reasoning: start with a basic principle and from there move to specific truths • Cartesian Dualism: matter vs. mind

  14. Medicine • Paracelsus (Swiss) • Chemical, not humoral, imbalance • Early pharmacologist • Vesalius (Flemish) • Anatomy: knowledge through experimentation, dissection • On the Structure of the Human Body • Harvey (English) • Blood circulation • Heart functionality

  15. Politics: What justifies the authority of the state? • Thomas Hobbes (English) • Leviathan, 1651 • Scientific, not divine rationale for monarch • Man brutish, warlike in state of nature • “Social contract” formed with a strongman to maintain order, civilized society • Power can be revoked 1588-1679

  16. Politics: What justifies the authority of the state? • John Locke (English) • “Essay Concerning Human Understanding” (1690) • Tabula rasa (blank slate) • Environment influential (nature vs. nurture) • humans naturally rational, not depraved • Two contracts: first together to form a society; next with a ruler to protect their property • Tolerance most rational position to take • Influence on colonialists • 1632-1704

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