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Age of Reason

Chapter 15

Scientific Discoveries• Two principal authorities for

understanding the universe in Middle Ages

1. Ancient philosophers2. Church tradition

• Errors in church teachings• Philosophers’ undependable

Science

• Can explain how something happens but cannot explain why it happens

• Cannot make moral judgments

• Is limited to what men observe about the physical world

• Scientific knowledge is constantly expanding

Scientific Revolution

• Increased man’s knowledge of the physical universe

• Old myths & legends discarded

Nicolaus Copernicus• Questioned

Ptolemy’s geocentric theory of the universe

• Presented heliocentric theory of the universe

Geocentric Model Heliocentric Model

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Johannes Kepler• Disagreed with

Copernicus’ belief of circular orbits of planets

• Discovered that orbits are elliptical (oval shaped)

Eliptical Orbits

Galileo Galilei• Suggested use of the

pendulum to measure time

• Improved the telescope

• Confirmed Copernicus’ heliocentric theory and Kepler’s elliptical orbits

• Tried for heresy by the Roman Catholic Church

Telescopes

Isaac Newton• Demonstrated with

prism that white light is actually composed of many different colors.

• Discovered law of gravity

Andreas Vesalius

• Examined actual structure of the human body

• Called “Father of Anatomy”

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Paracelsus• Suggested that since

the human body is chemical in nature, chemicals should be used to treat disease

William Harvey• Discovered that the

heart alone acts as a pump, pushing blood through the arteries and the veins; thus, blood is not “consumed” but constantly circulated.

Edward Jenner

• Developed method of inoculation called “vaccination”

Robert Boyle

• First to publish the law of inverse gas pressure

Joseph Priestley• Discovered

ammonia, oxygen, nitrous oxide, hydrochloric acid, and carbon dioxide

Antoine Lavoisier• Used logical rather

than fanciful terminology for chemicals

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Anton van Leeuwenhoek

• Greatly improved the microscope

Gerhardus Mercator• Devised a way to

map the earth on a flat surface

• It is still the standard pattern for mapmaking

Intellectual Attitudes

Intellectual Attitudes

• Strong emphasis placed on power of human reason in search for truth

• Philosophers looked to human reason as solution for all of life’s problems

• Rationalism – viewing reason as the only source of knowledge

Sir Francis Bacon• Advocated inductive

method• From specific cases to

a general conclusion• Question all existing

knowledge• Careful observation and

experimentation before arriving at a conclusion

René Descartes• Believed, like Bacon, that

every false idea and prejudice had to be discarded

• Believed, however, that man could be deceived by his senses

• Relied on reason aided by mathematics

• Deductive method - Simple premise to more complex truth (logic)

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Baruch Spinoza• Did not recognize God

as a personal being• Taught that everything

in the universe, whether physical or spiritual is part of one great substance called “god”

John Locke• Advocated Empiricism

– The idea that all knowledge comes through experience

• Rejected the idea that God has implanted certain truths within each person from birth.

• Maintained mind of a baby is like a blank tablet on which experiences of life are written

• Rejected idea of original sin

• Chose to believe that man is basically good

• “A New York Times Magazine poll, ‘The Way We Live Now,’ reports that 73% of adults believe all people are born inherently good.’

• Glen Shultz, Kingdom Education Second edition, p. 19

Montesquieu• Inspired by John Locke

• Believed that England was the symbol of political freedom

• Concluded that the liberty of the English resulted from the separation of the three powers of govt.: executive, legislative, and judicial

• Wrote The Spirit of Laws

Voltaire• Used clever wit to insult people

• Outspoken critic of abuses in society, especially religious and political intolerance

• Hated organized religion

• Advocated a religion ruled by reason

• Was not an atheist but a deist

Denis Diderot• Edited the French

Encyclopédie

• Contributed several hundred articles himself

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Jean Jacques Rousseau• Favored emotion and sentiment above

reason

• Often called the Father of Romanticism

• Believed that man is born free and should be able to do whatever he wants to do

• Believed in the basic goodness of man

• Wrote The Social Contract

• Govt. should be built upon will of the people (democracy)

Revivals in 17th Century Germany

17th Century Germany Philipp Spener• Lutheran minister

• Saw need for close Christian fellowship for converts

• Organized special meetings for prayer & Bible study in his home

• Published “Pious Wishes” which outlined failures of the church and issued call for spiritual renewal

August Francke

• Professor at the University of Halle

• Helped establish & supervise an orphanage, elementary & secondary schools & a Bible-printing organization.

• Emphasized godliness and Christian Wisdom

Nikolaus von Zinzendorf• Studied under Francke

• Left Lutheran Church & became leader of Moravians

• Moravian missionaries traveled throughout the world preaching the gospel & seeking to unite all Christians

• Moravians exalt experience above doctrine & movement declines

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Revivals in 18th Century England

18th Century England

• Traveled about 250,000 miles on horseback

• Preached about 42,000 sermons

• Ordained as an Anglican minister in 1728

• Joined club brother helped establish at Oxford U.

– He and Charles referred to as “Methodists”

• Missionary to American colony of Georgia in 1735

• Actually converted by Moravians in 1738

• Considered to be founder of Methodist Church

John Wesley George Whitfield• Converted in 1735 & ordained an

Anglican minister a year later.

• Preached throughout Britain & in the American colonies

• Efforts helped further Great Awakening in America (1740-42)

Revivals in 18th Century America

18th Century America

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Jonathan Edwards 1703-58• Advocated need for

personal conversion

• Often studied 13 hours/day

• Most famous sermon:– “Sinners in the Hands of

an Angry God”

– Warned unrepentant hearers that only God’s Mercy kept them from hell

Benefits of Great Awakening• Political

• Social

• Spiritual

• New England:

– Between 25,000 & 50,000 people converted

– 150 new churches established

– More concern for mission work

– Renewed efforts to reach Native Americans

– Schools established to train ministers

Artistic Reflection• The values, attitudes and concerns

reflected in architecture, painting, music, and literature.

• Mannerism

– Did not strive for realism and balance

– Works filled with distortions and exaggerations

El Greco 1541-1614• Domenikos

Theotokopoulos• Greek who settled in

Spain• Figures have elongated

bodies and limbs• Mystical atmosphere

with dramatic, & sharply contrasting colors

El Greco Baroque

• Probably originated from Portuguese word meaning “an irregularly shaped pearl.”

• Refers to period in art history from 1600-1750

• Style is grand, dynamic, heroic, active, swirling, sensual, and emotional.

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Giovanni Bernini• Designed beautiful

fountains for Roman plazas an colonnades outside St. Peter’s Basilica

• Accomplished sculptor and painter

• Sculpture captured subjects in motion

Peter Paul Rubens 1577-1640

• Popularized baroque style in painting

• Traveled to Italy & studied works of master painters of High Renaissance.

• Many requests for his work

• Dramatic, rich landscapes & robust figures

Rembrandt van Rijn 1606-69• Perhaps greatest Dutch

painter of all time• Gold tones and warm

browns• By contrasting light and

dark (chiaroscuro) he created subtle moods on canvas

• Themes inspired by biblical stories

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Rococo Style

• A French term that means “a pebble”– Refers to the small, shell-like ornaments

that characterize rococo decoration

– Used most often in interior decoration

– Delicate and feminine

Antoine Watteau (1684-1721)

• His work reflects the frivolous, decadent, and artificial court life of the 18th century

Watteau(Rococo)

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Rococo StyleNeoclassical Art

• Orderly, formal, calm, and balanced

Baroque Age in Music1. Composers gradually turned from polyphony (music with several

melody lines) to homophony (music with one basic melody line & several supporting harmonies)

2. Trend toward secular music commissioned by royalty & aristocracy

3. New types of compositions:

– opera

– ballet

– oratorio

Operaa dramatic work in one or more acts, set to music for

singers and instrumentalists.

Balletan artistic dance form performed to music using precise and highly

formalized set steps and gestures. Classical ballet, which originated in Renaissance Italy and established its present form during the 19th century, is characterized by light, graceful, fluid

movements and the use of pointe shoes.

Oratorio(Classical Music)

a dramatic but unstaged musical composition for soloists, chorus, and orchestra, based on a religious theme

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4. Instrumental music became more important

5. Instrumentalists usually accompanied vocal numbers

6. Many of the earliest baroque composers were Italian

– Italian musical markings became standard throughout Europe

• adagio (slowly)

• forte (loudly)

Claudio Monteverdi 1567-1643

• Especially famous for his operas

• First opera was Orfeo

George Fredrick Handel 1685-1759

• German immigrant to England

• Spent early years composing Italian-style operas

• Best-known musical composition is the Messiah

Johhann Sebastian Bach 1685-1750

• Came from a very musical family

• Strong Lutheran influence

• Personal faith and knowledge of the Scriptures shine in his religious music

Franz Joseph Haydn 1732-1809

• Wrote a large amount of music, – 104 symphonies– 83 string quartets– 50 piano sonatas– Several operas– 2 oratorios

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 1756-1791

• Child prodigy• Learned to play

harpsichord at age four

• Composed pieces at the age of five

• Died in poverty at thirty-five in unmarked grave

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Ludwig Van Beethoven 1770-1827

• Early works reflect classical style

• Later works reflect romanticism

Literature in the Age of Reason

Molière 1622-73• Best remembered

for his comedies in which he pokes fun at the hypocrisy and vices in society

Alexander Pope 1688-1744• Foremost poetic satirist

• Quotes:

– “To err is human, to forgive is divine.”

– “A little learning is a dangerous thing.”

• Steeped in humanistic philosophy of the Enlightenment

Jonathan Swift 1667-1745• Master of prose

• Greatest work was Gulliver’s Travels

– Intended to be a satire on human behavior

– Became a favorite children’s story.

Daniel Defoe

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Edward Gibbon 1737-94• Wrote Decline and Fall of

the Roman Empire

• Claimed that Christianity reawakened the fighting spirit of the Romans and caused religious controversy which brought about internal disorder within the empire