The Scientific Revolution Overview

The Scientific Revolution

• The Scientific Revolution was a period of intellectual transformation that led to the modern world.
• By the end of the revolution, Europe was poised to enter the Enlightenment, a cultural movement that questioned traditional beliefs.
• Prior to the Scientific Revolution, scholars relied on religious interpretations and ancient Greek/Roman thinkers to determine truth.
• The common view was a geocentric model, with Earth at the center of the universe.

Principles of the Scientific Revolution

• Logic superseded faith as the primary mode of understanding.
• Scientific questioning emerged from discrepancies between observation and expectations.
• Verification relied on mathematical proofs and experiments.
• Observation, experimentation, and publication were crucial components of the process.

Key Figures

• Copernicus: Proposed a heliocentric model of the universe (sun-centered), outlined in "On the Revolutions of Heavenly Spheres".
• Galileo: Built his own telescope, observing the sun, moon, and planets. Published his findings, which challenged the prevailing geocentric model and the Church's teachings. Faced persecution for his views, though later vindicated.
• Newton: Synthesized the work of Copernicus and Galileo, developing the laws of motion and universal gravitation. This work explained planetary movement and impacted other scientific fields. Developed calculus, a mathematical tool for analyzing motion. Published his discoveries in books like the one on the laws of light and color.
• Brahe and Kepler: Brahe meticulously charted astronomical observations. Kepler used Brahe's data to formulate the Laws of Planetary Motion.

How Truth Was Determined Before the Revolution

• Scholars primarily relied on religious texts and the writings of Greek and Roman thinkers.
• Geocentric theory, placing Earth at the center of the universe, was broadly accepted.
• Christians adhered to the idea that God positioned the Earth in the universe.

What Happened to Galileo?

• In 1633, he was tried by the Inquisition and placed under house arrest for his scientific findings.
• Under threat of torture, he publicly recanted his views.
• In 1992, the Catholic Church formally acknowledged Galileo's findings were correct.

Other Scientific Breakthroughs

• Microscope (Janssen)
• Barometer (Torricelli)
• Thermometer (Fahrenheit and Celsius)
• Anatomy (Vesalius)
• Smallpox Vaccine (Jenner)
• Chemistry (Boyle)

Bacon and Descartes

• Bacon: Emphasized experimentation and observation as vital to understanding the natural world.
• Descartes: Argued that reason and logical thought were paramount, concluding that "I think therefore I am".

The Scientific Method

• The scientific method is a systematic process for scientific discovery.
• Crucial steps include observation, formulating hypotheses, experimenting to test hypotheses, and drawing conclusions.
• Data collection, sharing, and analysis are vital stages.

Other Important Figures

• Brahe and Kepler made significant contributions to the development of the understanding of the solar system and planetary orbits. Kepler formulated the laws of planetary motion based on Brahe's accurate observations, helping to confirm and advance heliocentric astronomy.