Scientific Revolution Chapter 14 Flashcards

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Questions and Answers

How many people were directly involved in the Scientific Revolution?

Only a few hundred

How did the Scientific Revolution handle knowledge - old and new?

Researched old knowledge to prove or disprove it. Made institutions.

What was geocentrism?

Idea that the Earth is at the center of the universe

Was the pursuit of natural philosophy formal or informal?

Informal Signup and view all the answers

Which of Copernicus' works explained his theory?

On the Revolutions of Heavenly Spheres Signup and view all the answers

What did Galileo do with Copernicus' theory?

Argued that his newly observed evidence required a Copernican interpretation of the heavens; high-profile advocate of Copernicanism. Signup and view all the answers

What is an epicycle?

Small circle in which a planet moved uniformly about a larger circle called a deferent Signup and view all the answers

What was the advantage of Copernicus' system?

Epicycles were smaller; explained retrograde motion as an optical illusion; determined order of planets based on distance from the sun. Signup and view all the answers

What was the relationship between Copernican and Ptolemaic theory?

Copernicus adopted many elements of Ptolemaic model but transferred it to a heliocentric model; retained epicycles. Signup and view all the answers

Who was Brahe, and what did he do?

Dutch astronomer who advocated earth-centered system; constructed scientific instruments for extensive observations. Signup and view all the answers

Who was Kepler, and what was his relationship with Brahe?

Brahe's assistant; took over Brahe's data; supported heliocentric model. Signup and view all the answers

What did Galileo prove?

Copernicus' heliocentric theory Signup and view all the answers

Why did the Church condemn Galileo?

Church could not surrender biblical interpretation to a layman; confusion over Galileo's agreement. Signup and view all the answers

What was important about Descartes?

Invented analytic geometry; separation of mind and body; deduction. Signup and view all the answers

Why was the existence of God important to Descartes?

Since God was not a deceiver, the ideas of God-given reason could not be false. Signup and view all the answers

What was Bacon known for?

Being the father of empiricism and experimentation in science Signup and view all the answers

What was the goal of science for Bacon?

Useful results that would improve the human condition; required modifying or abandoning scholastic modes. Signup and view all the answers

What was the major scientific question that Newton solved?

The question of planetary motion; how they moved in an orderly fashion. Signup and view all the answers

What was Principia Mathematica and who wrote it?

Written by Isaac Newton; established the basics for physics, addressed inertia and gravity. Signup and view all the answers

What is the theory of universal gravitation?

Planets and all other physical objects in the universe moved through mutual attraction or gravity. Signup and view all the answers

What was Newton's attitude toward religion?

Creator of rational lawful nature must also be rational; studying nature was studying God. Signup and view all the answers

What were Pascal's ideas, which did he support, and what did he not agree with?

Pascal allied himself with Jansenists; believed in a leap of faith for religious matters; refuted dogmatism and skepticism. Signup and view all the answers

What idea was a fundamental feature of the expansion of science?

Emerging idea that genuinely new knowledge about nature and humankind could be discovered. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Scientific Revolution Overview

Only a few hundred individuals were directly involved in the Scientific Revolution.
Knowledge was re-evaluated, leading to new research methodologies and institutions.

Geocentrism vs. Heliocentrism

Geocentrism posited the Earth as the center of the universe.
Copernicus challenged this with his heliocentric model explained in "On the Revolutions of Heavenly Spheres."

Key Figures

Galileo supported Copernicus and used new observational evidence to promote heliocentrism, popularizing the concept.
Tycho Brahe, a Dutch astronomer, favored an Earth-centered system and produced extensive astronomical data.
Johannes Kepler, Brahe's assistant, advanced the heliocentric theory with elliptical orbits.

Copernican System Features

Introduced epicycles—smaller circles for planets moving around a larger circle called a deferent.
Explained retrograde motion as an optical illusion due to Earth's movement.
The system maintained some Ptolemaic elements without new evidence.

Galileo's Contributions and Challenges

Proved the heliocentric theory but faced condemnation from the Church, which struggled with biblical interpretations.
The Church resisted surrendering the interpretation of the Bible to a layman like Galileo.

Philosophical Contributions

René Descartes created analytic geometry and emphasized the separation of mind and body.
Famous for "I Think Therefore I Am," Descartes believed in a non-deceptive God, reinforcing rational thought.

Francis Bacon's Empiricism

Known as the father of empiricism, Bacon championed experimentation in science.
He argued that science should yield practical results to improve human life, departing from traditional scholastic methods.

Isaac Newton's Legacy

Addressed planetary motion in "Principia Mathematica," establishing foundational physics principles, including inertia and gravity.
Introduced the theory of Universal Gravitation, asserting that all objects experience mutual attraction.

Religion and Science

Newton viewed nature created by a rational God, suggesting that studying nature equates to studying God.
Blaise Pascal, allied with Jansenists, believed in the necessity of faith in religious matters, emphasizing human corruption.

The Expansion of Knowledge

A fundamental feature of this period was the belief in the potential for discovering genuinely new knowledge about nature and humanity.
Scientific societies emerged, emphasizing collaborative pursuits in scientific inquiry during the 17th century.

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Description

Explore key concepts from Chapter 14 on the Scientific Revolution with these flashcards. Learn about the individuals involved, the approach to knowledge, and the foundational ideas such as geocentrism. Test your understanding of this pivotal period in history.