Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment

The “spirit” of the Renaissance

• This helped to create a spirit of creativity and curiosity.

• Remember the critical method and liberal arts education?

• People want to look at the world here and now.

The “spirit” of the Reformation

• Reformation made it ok to question old beliefs to find new answers.

• Luther challenged the Church on its ways…if you can question religion, you can question the world around you too.

New tools

• Telescope-• Microscope-• Barometer- • Thermometer- • How does this help? • Accurate measurements!

The Scientific Method• Use of Math.• Use of Experiments.• Repetition of experiments and

observations.• Checking accuracy of each others’ work.• Demanding evidence instead of theory.

The success of the SciRev• Proved old beliefs about world were

wrong, made them question more old beliefs.

• Geocentric universe out, Heliocentric is in.

• Scientific method• Human race can be educated

and all people are important–Emergence of the middle class

• Belief in God based on reason

Scientist ContributionsCopernicus Challenged a geo-centric theoryGalileo “starry messenger” helio-

centric theory. Challenged churches view of universe.

Bacon Scientific MethodDescartes Empiricism- experiment!Newton Applied laws to the universe

Scientific Awakening (Overview)

Earth

Moon

Mercury

Motion of Mercury

Ptolemy /GEOCENTRIC THEORY- WRONG!

Copernicus• Realized the earth turns on an axis• Proposed a solar centered system

– Book of Revolutions

Copernicus (1473-1543)

• Sun-centered universe HELIO- CENTRIC• Challenged circular orbits• Universe of staggering

size• Earth no different than

any other planet• On the Revolutions of the

Heavenly Spheres (1543)

Galileo Galilei (1564-1642)

• PIONEER IN TELESCOPE USE

• SUPPORTED COPERNICUS- HELIOCENTRIC THEORY

• CHALLENGED CHURCH• WAS FORCED BY THE

CHURCH TO RECANT.• PLACED ON HOUSE

ARREST FOR THE REAMINDER OF HIS LIFE. WHY?

“Truth cannot be found in the book of Aristotle but in the book of

Nature; and the book of Nature is written in the language of

mathematics.”

- Galileo

Galileo

Galileo’s Contributions• Linked science and math

with observation• Established math as

language of science• Music and art capabilities• Optic developments

– Founded modern astronomy• Secularized science

Francis Bacon (1561-1626)

• Father of the Scientific Method

• The Inductive Method• Emphasis on

practical, useful knowledge

• New attitude toward nature

1. Some people are like ants: they just build up a store of supplies (information or facts).

2. Some are like spiders: they build a complex system that is beautiful to behold (but it is made from the spider's own internal stuff and not materials from nature. It is not related to the real world.)

3. Some are like honey bees: they take materials from nature and convert it into materials that are useful for humankind (this is the model we should all pursue.)

– Bacon

Francis Bacon

1. Sensory perception (empirical knowledge) more reliable in examining the world than pure logic or theology.

2. Manipulation of the world instead of just observation.

3. Principle of cause and effect accepted as inviolate.

4. Theory developed after experiments were interpreted. (Inductive reasoning given precedence over deductive reasoning.)

5. Interpretation of data to be unbiased.

6. Well supported and accepted theories become laws.

Bacon’s Truths

Rene Descartes (1596-1650)

• Significance of Doubt• The Deductive

Method• Spatial relationships

can be expressed in mathematical formulas

• Father of “analytical geometry”

• “I THINK THEREFORE, I AM”

Isaac Newton (1642-1727)

• Greatest scientist• Laws of gravitation• Blends inductive and

deductive methods• Argues for a universe

governed by natural laws• Principia; Mathematical

Principles of Natural Philosophy (1687)

Age of EnlightenmentLiterature and Philosophy

The Enlightenment• Application of the scientific method

to social problems• Parallel to the scientific revolution• Foundation in “SALONS” located in

Paris.

Basic Premises• Scientific method can answer

fundamental questions about society• Human race can be educated and all

people are important– Emergence of the middle class

• Belief in God based on reason

Thomas Hobbes• Empiricism

"All that is real is material, and what is not material is

not real." – Hobbes-Man is evil and governments

should be set up to control that evil

Grew up during English civil war

Thomas Hobbes• Government"[Early man was] solitary, poor, nasty,

brutish, and short... [and in a constant state of] war, [living in] continual fear and danger of violent death.“ – Leviathan–Absolute monarchy sent by God to help mankind

–Hobbes' concepts used to justify colonialization

John Locke• Influential in American

revolution• NATURAL RIGHTS-LIFE-LIBERTY-PROPERTY

John Locke• Theory of Knowledge

– Essay Concerning Human Understanding– Reasoning puts man above animals– NATURE VS. NURTURE ????

• Tabula rasa- BLANK SLATE– Man is good and governments should be

set up to support freedom and growth

?

VOLTAIRE• (Francois Marie Arouet)

• “The pen is mightier than the sword”– Used satire against his

opponents– Targeted clergy,

aristocracy, and the government

– Never stopped fighting for tolerance, reason, freedom of religious belief, and freedom of speech -humanity’s worst enemies- intolerance, prejudice, and superstition First amendment

“I do not agree with a word you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

– Voltaire

MONTESQUIEU-–Separation of

powers– Purpose to keep any

group or individual from gaining total control of the government

– His ideas about the separation of powers and checks and balances became the basis for the United States Constitution

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

JUDICIAL BRANCH

Jean-Jacques Rousseau• Social Contract• Unwritten agreement

between people and the government.

• You agree to follow laws in exchange for security and rights.–As civilizations progress,

they move away from morality

“Man is born free, yet everywhere he is in chains.”

–Rousseau

WOLLSTONECRAFTUrged for women’s education

to become more useful and virtuous

– Wealthy women helped spread Enlightenment ideas through social gatherings called salons

Impact of the Enlightenment

– Writers challenged principles as the divine right of monarchs, the union of the church and state, and unequal social classes

–Inspired revolutions

–American and French revolution

– Three long term lasting effects• BELIEF IN

PROGRESS- human reason could solve social problems

• SECULAR OUTLOOK- worldly outlook; question their religious belief and the teachings of the church

• IMPORTANCE OF THE INDIVIDUAL turned away from the church and royalty for guidance; use own ability to reason in order to judge what is right or wrong

The Challenge of New Ideas• New ideas spread rapidly

through works like the Encyclopedia and printing press.

• Government and the Church had to find a way to restore the Holy order

• Censorship restricting access to ideas and information

• Many philosophers began to gather in salons to spread new ideas