Science & Secularity: The Modern Era Begins Ch. 12 Early Modern Science Galileo Galilei 1564-1642.

Science & Secularity: The Modern Era BeginsCh. 12

Early Modern Science

Galileo Galilei 1564-1642


Early Modern Science Did away with question of the purpose of events.



Early Modern Science Did away with question of the purpose of events.Settled for knowing the reliably regular patterns – “laws of nature” mathematically measurable matter in motion.



Early Modern ScienceMost scientists were religious, but . . . .



Early Modern ScienceMost scientists were religious, but . . . .E.g., Laplace (1749-1827) “Sire, I have no need of that hypothesis.” [God]



Early Modern Science Deism a natural theology--“argument from design”• awe at the intelligible order of nature



Early Modern Science Deism a natural theology--“argument from design”• awe at the intelligible order of nature• cannot possibly be by mere accident



Early Modern Science Deism a natural theology--“argument from design”• awe at the intelligible order of nature• cannot possibly be by mere accident• therefore it must have been designed


William Blake, 1794 “Ancient of Days”


Early Modern Science Deism “argument from design” Skeptical about miraclesE.G. -- Boyle: God not a “puppetmaster” “original contrivance” is enough (and the “divine concursus”)

Robert Boyle 1627-1691

Strasbourg clock


Early Modern Science Deism -- 4 supports for it1. Naturalism: The assumption that all events are due to fully natural causes



Early Modern Science Deism -- 4 supports for it1. Naturalism: 3 forms - metaphysical = no God at all



Early Modern Science Deism -- 4 supports for it1. Naturalism: 3 forms - metaphysical = no God at all - cosmological = no interventions



Early Modern Science Deism -- 4 supports for it1. Naturalism: 3 forms - metaphysical = no God at all - cosmological = no interventions - methodological = “as if” science is limited to finding natural causes.



Early Modern Science Deism -- 4 supports for it1. Naturalism: 3 forms - methodological = “as if” science is limited to finding natural causes. Discuss: Why can’t scientists saymiracles may cause some events?



Early Modern Science Deism -- 4 supports for it1. Naturalism: 3 forms - methodological = “as if” (got deists used to thinking that no supernatural acts occur)


E.g. Jefferson’s bible

END 3/29


Early Modern Science Deism -- 4 supports for it1. Naturalism: 3 forms2. Religious Humanism God made an intelligible world. God gave humans intelligence. So humans should rely on themselves, for progress.


Georg Gisze, merchantOil on woodBy Hans Holbein, 1532.

Notable about this:the figure is not a saint,nor a character in a Bible story.He is “secular” –a sign of humanism,treating humans astruly important.


Early Modern Science Deism -- 4 supports for it1. Naturalism: 3 forms2. Religious Humanism3. For Religious Tolerance What if there is only one religion, based on reason?

Lord Herbert of Cherbury 1583-1648


Early Modern Science

Religious Tolerance Holy Inquisition Lord Herbert

of Cherbury 1583-1648


Early Modern Science Religious Tolerance Holy Inquisition 70 K Huguenots killed -- 1572 includes St. Bartholomew’s day massacre



Early Modern Science Religious Tolerance Holy Inquisition 70 K Huguenots killed -- 1572 includes St. Bartholomew’s day massacre

30 years’ war up to 2/3 died in major parts of Germany



Early Modern Science Religious Tolerance Herbert wrote: De Veritate arguing that reason, not faith or authority or sacred texts, should guide people --Deism



Early Modern Science Deism -- 4 supports for it1. Naturalism: 3 forms2. Religious Humanism3. For Religious Tolerance4. Argument from Design Supppose you found a watch upon the heath. Could its structure be due to accident?

William. Paley 1743-1805


Early Modern ScienceEvolution and Agnosticism

Charles Darwin 1809 - 1882 A 1840 portraitby Geo.Richmond



On the Origin of Species By Means of Natural SelectionOr the Preservation of FavouredRaces in the Struggle for Life -- 1859

Charles Darwin 1809 - 1882 A 1840 portraitby Geo.Richmond


Early Modern ScienceEvolution and Agnosticism Pre-Darwin Theories of Change Chas Darwin

1809 - 1882

Kant ca. 1757.Laplace ca 1797.]


Early Modern ScienceEvolution and AgnosticismPre-Darwin Theories of Change Chas Darwin

1809 - 1882

James HuttonTheory of the Earth1795The discovery of“deep time.”


Early Modern ScienceEvolution and AgnosticismPre-Darwin Theories of Change --

Chas Darwin 1809 - 1882

Auguste Comte, 1798-1857“Positivism”Systeme de Politique Positive 3 stages of culture: --theological (superstition) --philosophical (speculation) --“positive” science (real knowledge)


Early Modern ScienceEvolution and AgnosticismPreDarwin Theories of Change Chas Darwin

1809 - 1882

Herbert Spencer, 1820-1903.Coined the expression:“survival of the fittest.” Later called a “Social Darwinist”[a phrase to be explained later].


Early Modern ScienceEvolution and AgnosticismPre-Darwin Theories of Change Chas Darwin

1809 - 1882

Society has been evolvingFrom primitive foragingto agriculture, to commerceto current industrialization

1818-1883



Theories of Biological Evolution: Erasmus Darwin, Charlie’s gramps 1794-96: Zoonomia

Lamark: theory of acquired characteristics.


Early Modern ScienceEvolution and Agnosticism Darwin’s Theory an account of HOW evolution could occur


Early Modern ScienceEvolution and Agnosticism Darwin’s Theory1. Superfecundity


Early Modern ScienceEvolution and Agnosticism Darwin’s Theory1. Superfecundity2. Variation among offspring


Early Modern ScienceEvolution and Agnosticism Darwin’s Theory1. Superfecundity2. Variation among offspring3. Natural selection – survival more likely

for those which happen to be “adapted.”


Early Modern ScienceEvolution and Agnosticism Darwin’s TheoryNatural Selection replaces Paley’s argument from design.

this replaces this



Chas Darwin 1809 - 1882Implications of Darwin’s theory

•Bible in error?•Unplanned process?•Brutal Process?•Humans just animals?•Materialism/naturalism as basic truth?


Early Modern ScienceEvolution and Agnosticism Darwin’s Theory Chas Darwin

1809 - 1882

Implications of Darwin’s theory in 19th cent.

Ch. 12WIPEOUTS!!!65 mya – 15% of 650 families245 mya – 50% of 400 families, ca. 85% of all speciesPlus 3 other major ones,Plus dozens of minor ones

Ch. 12

A ragged process.Difficult to see any purposeful pattern

Ch. 12 Evidence: Homologous Structures


Fish embryo

Chicken embryo

Pig embryo

Human embryo


Similar DNA:degrees ofdifference seem to reflectdegrees ofevolutionarydivergenceover time.

Ch. 12

Ch. 12

Hominidfamily tree.

[mtDNA saysNeandertals*are not ancestralto humans

*Neanderthals]



1809 - 1882

Implications of Darwin’s theory in 19th cent.•Bible in error?•Unplanned process?•Brutal Process?•Humans just animals?•Materialism/naturalism as basic truth?



1809 - 1882

Agnosticism and Social DarwinismHerbert Spencer, 1820-1903.“survival of the fittest.” “Social Darwinism”



1809 - 1882

Agnosticism and Social Darwinism“law of organic progress” This world will get better through free competition.



1809 - 1882

Agnosticism and Social Darwinism[Extreme versions:

• immoral to aid the weak• eugenics valuable]


Early Modern ScienceEvolution and AgnosticismSecular Evolutionary Humanisms



Early Modern ScienceEvolution and AgnosticismSecular Evolutionary Humanisms secular = this-worldly



Early Modern ScienceEvolution and AgnosticismSecular Evolutionary Humanisms secular = this-worldly evolutionary = belief in social progress



Early Modern ScienceEvolution and AgnosticismSecular Evolutionary Humanisms secular = this-worldly evolutionary = belief in social progress humanism = a) BVM morality b) confidence in human abilities and moral goodness.



Early Modern ScienceEvolution and AgnosticismSecular Evolutionary Humanisms A substitute for religion (more on this a bit later) -- two examples: Marx, 19th century J. Huxley, 20th century



Early Modern ScienceEvolution and AgnosticismSecular Evolutionary Humanisms Karl Marx (1818-1883)

A sketch of Marx as a young man


Early Modern ScienceEvolution and AgnosticismSecular Evolutionary Humanisms Karl Marx -- basic theory• cultural evolution, guided by economics


Early Modern ScienceEvolution and AgnosticismSecular Evolutionary Humanisms Karl Marx -- basic theory• cultural evolution, guided by economics• industrialization can make all people ‘rich’ and happy


Early Modern ScienceEvolution and AgnosticismSecular Evolutionary Humanisms Karl Marx -- basic theory• cultural evolution• industrialization can make all ‘rich’ and happy• greedy capitalists are in the way

[Photo is from www.marxists.org]


Early Modern ScienceEvolution and AgnosticismSecular Evolutionary Humanisms Karl Marx -- basic theory• cultural evolution, guided by economics• industrialization can make all people ‘rich’ and happy• greedy capitalists are in the way


Early Modern ScienceEvolution and AgnosticismSecular Evolutionary Humanisms Karl Marx -- basic theory“Workers of the world unite. You have nothing to lose but your chains.” (Communist Manifesto, 1848. Marx & Engels)


Early Modern ScienceEvolution and AgnosticismSecular Evolutionary Humanisms Karl Marx -- basic theory After the revolution: state socialism for a while; then perfect democracy.


Early Modern ScienceEvolution and AgnosticismSecular Evolutionary Humanisms Karl Marx -- basic theory As a quasi-religion -- ?Marx called religion “the opiate of the people.”When social conditions improve, this opium will become unnecessary.


Early Modern ScienceEvolution and AgnosticismSecular Evolutionary Humanisms Karl Marx -- basic theory As a quasi-religion -- ?

QUES: how does Marxism promise salvation from the three forms of estrangement?(First remind yourselves what these 3 forms are.)


Early Modern ScienceEvolution and AgnosticismSecular Evolutionary Humanisms Karl Marx -- basic theory• No afterlife -- but a good earthly life.• Cooperation replaces competition.• A worthy selfhood


Early Modern ScienceEvolution and AgnosticismSecular Evolutionary Humanisms Julian Huxley’s earthly religion Religion without Revelation (1928 & 1956.)


Early Modern ScienceEvolution and AgnosticismSecular Evolutionary Humanisms Julian Huxley’s earthly religion Religion without Revelation (1928 & 1956.)

The Young Huxley


Early Modern ScienceEvolution and AgnosticismSecular Evolutionary Humanisms Julian Huxley’s earthly religion Religion without Revelation. 1928 & 1956.


Early Modern ScienceEvolution and AgnosticismSecular Evolutionary Humanisms Julian Huxley’s earthly religion• ongoing differentiation• ongoing complexification• ongoing conscientization


Early Modern ScienceEvolution and AgnosticismSecular Evolutionary Humanisms Julian Huxley’s earthly religion

• ongoing conscientizationbiological: CNS, up to human cerebrum



• ongoing conscientizationbiologicalsocial – cultural evol.



• ongoing conscientization Social:

e.g. globalization;e.g. the internet.



We humans are evolution become conscious of itself.Our role is to be “cosmic managers.”


Early Modern ScienceEvolution and AgnosticismSecular Evolutionary Humanisms with Hidden Forms of Salvation From limits of earthly conditions

• utopian – “millenarian” e.g. Marx.• progressivist – e.g. Huxley (settles for gradual development)


Early Modern ScienceEvolution and AgnosticismSecular Evolutionary Humanisms with Hidden Forms of Salvation From limits of earthly conditions future hope gives meaning to the struggles of life provides a worthy identity as part of a noble band.


Early Modern ScienceEvolution and AgnosticismSecular Evolutionary Humanisms with Hidden Forms of Salvation The End of Easy Optimism


Early Modern ScienceEvolution and AgnosticismSecular Evolutionary Humanisms with Hidden Forms of Salvation The End of Easy Optimism trench warfare; mustard gas, gatling gun rabid nationalism


Early Modern ScienceEvolution and AgnosticismSecular Evolutionary Humanisms with Hidden Forms of Salvation The End of Easy Optimism ‘rational’ beliefs?? humanism?? progress??


Early Modern ScienceEvolution and AgnosticismSecular Evolutionary Humanisms with Hidden Forms of Salvation The End of Easy Optimism

For some people severe disillusionment. (See ch. 13: “Life without Religion”)

Science & Secularity: The Modern Era Begins Ch. 12 Early Modern Science Galileo Galilei 1564-1642.

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Transcript of Science & Secularity: The Modern Era Begins Ch. 12 Early Modern Science Galileo Galilei 1564-1642.