The Scientific RevolutionThe Scientific RevolutionA New World View

Background to the Scientific RevolutionRenaissance Humanists

– Contradictions of Aristotle and Galen

• Renaissance artists and their impact on scientific study– Close Observation of Nature– Perspective and Anatomical Proportions

• Technical Problems• Mathematics• Hermetic Magic

– Alchemy

Causes of the Scientific

Revolution

Renaissance

Rebirth of learning

Interest in the temporal world

Reformation

Questioning of the church doctrine

Scientific Instruments

Microscope Thermometer

Exploration

Realized how narrow their understanding of the world was

Scientific Discoveries

Challenged accepted beliefs

Printing Press

Allowed for widespread dissemination of information

Lead them to question other beliefs

Telescope

Scientific Method

Royal Society of LondonNullius in Verba

Accept nothing on the basis of words (or someone else's authority)

The Universe as a Clock

• Made up of parts that worked together perfectly

• Assembled, unassembled, observed and understood.

Basis for Scientific Thought

• Before S.R.– The Bible– Church teachings– Aristotle– Ptolemy– “Common Sense”– Religious world view

• After S.R.– Observation– Experimentation– Scientific reasoning– Gather knowledge– Make conclusions– Secular world view– Scientific Method

Toward a New Earth: Descartes, Rationalism, and a New View of Humankind

• Rene Descartes (1596 – 1650)– Discourse on Method (1637)– “I think, therefore I am.”– Separation of mind and matter

• Cartesian Dualism

– Father of modern rationalism

Scientific Method

• Deductive Reasoning• General to Specific• Rene Descartes

• Inductive Reasoning• Specific to the General• Francis Bacon

Science and Religion in the Seventeenth Century

• Conflict between Science and Religion– Scientific beliefs triumph– Religious beliefs suffer

• Blaise Pascal (1623 – 1662)– Sought to keep science and religion united– Mystical vision (1654)– Pensées (Thoughts)– Sought to convert rationalists to Christianity– Christianity not contrary to reason– Reason had limits

The Scientific Societies

• English Royal Society– Informal meetings at London and Oxford– Received formal charter in 1662 from Charles II

• French Royal Academy– Informal meetings in Paris– Formally recognized by Louis XIV (1666)– More government control

• Societies recognized practical value of scientific research

• Both focus on theoretical work in mechanics and astronomy

Science and Society

• People recognized rational superiority of science

• Science offered new ways to exploit resources for profit