Scientific Revolution Overview

The belief that the Earth was the center of the universe and everything else revolved around it.

The idea that science is a part of religion and should be studied to better understand God's creation.

A period of intense intellectual and artistic rebirth in Europe that emphasized ancient Greek and Roman knowledge. It encouraged exploration, creativity, and a renewed interest in the natural world.

The establishment of universities in the Middle Ages helped develop scientific research by providing a framework for studying and debating ideas. These institutions gave scholars independent space to explore new concepts.

The need to improve navigation during long sea voyages spurred significant advancements in scientific instruments like the telescope, barometer, and thermometer. This practical application of science led to new discoveries and knowledge.

A model of the universe where the Sun is at the center and all other planets revolve around it.

The apparent backward motion of planets as seen from Earth, which is caused by the Earth's own motion around the Sun. This was a challenge for Copernicus's model.

A 16th-century astronomer who revolutionized the understanding of the universe by proposing that the Earth revolved around the Sun. His book, Revolutions of Heavenly Spheres

A Danish astronomer who built a world-class observatory and meticulously collected data on celestial bodies. His data later became a cornerstone of astronomy.

The belief that the universe is centered around the Earth, with all other celestial bodies revolving around it.

The shift in scientific thinking in the 17th and 18th centuries, which led to new discoveries and a change in worldview.

A major shift in thinking during the Scientific Revolution, where many intellectuals became skeptical of traditional religious beliefs and explanations.

A process of inquiry that emphasizes observation, experimentation, and the testing of hypotheses to draw conclusions.

Johannes Kepler's discovery that planets move in elliptical orbits, not circular, revolutionized astronomy and challenged the prevailing understanding of the solar system.

Kepler's second law states that planets do not move at a uniform speed while orbiting the sun. They move faster when closer to the sun and slower when farther away.

Kepler's third law demonstrates that the time a planet takes to orbit the sun is directly related to its distance from the sun: closer planets orbit faster.

Galileo's discovery that gravity exerts a constant force, accelerating all objects equally, regardless of weight, revolutionized our understanding of motion.

This law posits that an object in motion will stay in motion unless acted on by an external force. It changed scientific thinking about how objects move in space.

The belief that a proper balance of four humors (blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile) in the body was essential for health.

A Swiss physician and alchemist who pioneered the experimental method in medicine, challenging humoral theory and suggesting illnesses were caused by chemical imbalances.

A Flemish physician who revolutionized the study of human anatomy with his detailed anatomical drawings based on dissections.

An English physician who discovered how the heart pumps blood through the body, correcting Galen's theories.

This book by Vesalius showcased detailed anatomical illustrations based on human dissections, transforming our understanding of the human body.

The advancement in scientific thinking during the 17th and 18th centuries, which led to significant discoveries and a change in how people viewed the world.

Using powerful microscopes, he made groundbreaking observations of bacteria, yeast plants, and the circulation of blood.

Organizations established to promote and share scientific knowledge, fostering collaboration among researchers.

Through communication and collaboration, they helped establish a global scientific community.

The Scientific Revolution paved the way for the Enlightenment, a philosophical movement that emphasized reason and critical thinking.

Scientific advancements during the Scientific Revolution improved navigation, leading to new discoveries and exploration.

The spirit of experimentation during the Scientific Revolution led to improvements in agriculture, which contributed to a period of significant agricultural advancements.

The Scientific Revolution's emphasis on reason and evidence helped to reduce the belief in witchcraft and superstition.

A medieval practice that aimed to transform matter (like converting base metals into gold) and find elixirs, sharing the new science's belief in a predictable universe.

The belief that the stars and planets influence human affairs and can predict the future. It was popular among elites even during the Scientific Revolution.

They were prominent court figures who believed in astrology. This shows that even scientists during this era embraced non-scientific ideas.

It led to a decline in the acceptance of astrology, although some continued to believe in it. It highlighted the changing intellectual landscape of the era.

Newton's theory, detailed in his book Principia, that every object in the universe attracts every other object with a force proportional to their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

A method of scientific inquiry that emphasizes observation, experimentation, and the testing of hypotheses to draw conclusions.

A method of reasoning that starts with general principles and applies them to specific cases.

Descartes' belief that all existence can be divided into two distinct categories: the spiritual and the material. He argued that the spiritual realm (mind) can only be understood through reason, while the material realm (body) can only be understood through observation.

The belief that God created the universe but does not actively intervene in its affairs.

A branch of mathematics that combines algebra and geometry, allowing for the representation of geometric figures using algebraic equations.

A key concept in the Scientific Revolution and a significant step towards modern science. It involves a process of starting with observations, forming a hypothesis, conducting experiments, and then drawing conclusions based on the data.

A mathematical tool developed by Newton (and independently by Leibniz) to study change and motion. Calculus is essential for understanding concepts like velocity, acceleration, and integration.