The Scientific Revolution(Chapter 6.1 in your textbook0

Periods of Change:• The Renaissance in Europe (1300-1600)• The Reformation (1519- 1600)

OLD SCIENCE:

Before 1500, strategy was as follows-

To determine if something was true or not:

• Check with ancient Greek or Roman authors (Plato, Aristotle, Archimedes, etc.)

• Check with the Bible

• IF a solution, idea, etc. is true, IT WILL BE consistent with these trusted and established sources!

Old Science- 4 Elements View

Old Ideas about Astronomy

What are planets made of?The sun, moon, planets and stars are made of the two “light” elements, fire and air. This is what allows them to float high above us!

Planets are PERFECT

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Perfect spheres, that are perfectly smooth, traveling in perfectly circular orbits!

Geocentric TheoryProposed by Aristotle in the 4th century BCE and “confirmed” by Ptolemy in the 2nd century:

The EARTH is the CENTER of the UNIVERSE! Why must this be so? Because earth is inhabited by God’s most significant creation, naturally WE are the focal point of everything else!

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Scientific RevolutionBy the mid-1500s, a few scholars began to challenge ancient beliefs and the views of the church.

Nicolaus Copernicus• Polish cleric & astronomer• Studied geocentric theory for

>25 years and reasoned that the earth and other planets revolved around the sun

• Kept circle-orbit idea intact. Waited until near death to publish his work.

Tycho Brahe Danish astronomer who accurately recorded the movements of planets for years and years, but could not make sense of the data!

Johannes KeplerThis assistant to Brahe kept up the work of his mentor. Found that planets move in ELIPTICAL ORBITS!

This finding supports both Brahe’s data and Copernicus’ main assertion.

Galileo Galilei• Improved the telescope

which allowed him to see surface of the moon and other planets clearly. SURPRISE! They are not composed of perfect surfaces or made of airy substances!

Galileo Galilei• In 1616, Catholic Church

warned him not to defend Copernicus

• In 1632, he published “Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems” which clearly favored Copernican theory

• In 1633, he was brought before the Inquisition! Rather than face torture, he recanted

Scientific Revolution

• Represented a major change in European thought

• Was based on the belief that the natural world could be understood through careful observation

• Advocated the questioning of long-accepted beliefs

• Was NOT sudden or complete

Francis Bacon(English writer, statesman, and science enthusiast)

Bacon Recommended:• If we understand the world via science, we will gain

practical knowledge that can improve our lives

• We cannot accept the ancient thinkers unquestionably

• Use empiricism! (The experimental method)

Rene Descarte• Developed analytical geometry• Unlike Bacon, he asserts that truth can be found by way of MATH

and LOGIC. Says that all laws can be expressed mathematically

Bacon & Descarte bring us to the Scientific Method

1. Identify a problem or question via observation

2. Form a hypothesis (an unproven assumption)

3. Test hypothesis by way of experiments and data collection

4. Analyze & interpret data to reach conclusion

5. Conclusion will confirm or disprove hypothesis

Isaac Newton• Formulated

mathematical laws that governed all physical objects

• Laws of motion, gravity• The –universe- is- like-

a- clock metaphor

Scientific Revolution Spreads

Now the door is open! As more technology is created, scientific understanding simply increases. As measuring instruments and observation tools improve, data collection gets more precise, which leads to better science. (ex: microscope, barometer)

In medicine:

Andreas Vesalius dissected a human corpse and published the observations. (Greeks based anatomy on animals)

Edward Jenner created the first vaccination using cowpox to protect a person from small pox

Robert BoyleChallenged 4 elements theory. Said that small primary particles join together in different ways to make everything. BOYLE’S LAW- how volume, temperature, and pressure of gas affect each other

Scientific Revolution provided new methodology & allowed people to ask:“What else is out there?”“What else don’t we know?”“What other accepted explanations might be debunked?”