The Scientific Revolution & The Enlightenment

Mr. ErmerWorld History

Miami Beach Senior High

Scientists and Mathematicians begin to

investigate the world around them Thinkers of the time believe Math, as the

language of the universe, can unlock the door to knowledge

Ptolemaic Universe was a model which put Earth at the center—geocentric Copernicus argues for a heliocentric universe Kepler proves Copernicus correct

New Ideas

Math teacher, first European to use a

telescope to observe the stars and planets Proves stars are not just “balls of pure light”

Galileo gets in trouble with the Catholic Church, most scientists agree w/ Galileo

Galileo had set out to explain motion in the universe, never finds answer

Another scientist, Newton, does…

Galileo Galilei

Galileo

Newton attends Cambridge University

Professor of Mathematics Writes Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy

(Principia), describes three laws of motion: Universal law of gravitation: all objects in the universe

are attracted to one another by gravity Proves that one mathematically proven law can

explain all motion in the universe. Establishes the idea that the universe works according

to a set of laws

Isaac Newton

Sir Isaac Newton

Rene Descartes, takes the new view of the

universe, and creates new view of humanity Develops a philosophy that stays until 20th Cen. Begins by “forgetting” everything he’s learned, comes up

with new ideas from scratch Accepted only things proved by reason Separation of mind and matter

Rationalism, based on belief that reason is chief source of knowledge

Francis Bacon: Scientific Method/Inductive Reason

Philosophy and Reason

18th Century philosophical movement of intellectuals

impressed by Scientific Rev Centered around “reason”, or using Scientific Method to

understand all life, to improve life Isaac Newton and John Locke= inspiration

John Locke argues that humans are born with blank minds, we learn through our senses perceiving the world around us. Change the surroundings, change the person/society Attempts to find “natural laws of politics”

Montesquieu attempts to establish a science of politics to encourage liberty and stability

Cesare Baccaria argues against capital punishment, and for stronger police force

Voltaire

The Enlightenment

Enlightened Intellectuals

Adam Smith, wrote The Wealth of Nations (1776), considered

founder of social sciences together with Physiocrats Laissez-faire: “to let do” the government should let business

do what it wants, and government should only do three things: Protect its people from invasion (army) Protect its people from each other (police) Build/maintain infrastructure (roads, canals) that are too expensive

for the private sector Theory of Progress

Belief that advances in natural science would lead to greater knowledge of human affairs and lead to prosperity, peace, and liberty

Subject society to rational analysis and replace religious values with secular values arrived at by reason rather than revelation

Economics

Rich people know how to read, and do

Learn a lot through reading various works Magazines and newspapers rise

London most famous for these new publications Salon: great rooms in homes of rich Europeans

where they can talk and share ideas, information and news

Intellectuals known as “philosophes” encourage the use of reason

Reading and Sharing Ideas

Deism

God as watchmaker Many new ideas attack Christianity

Many Europeans still very Christian 95% of Catholics go to Easter mass Many Protestant churches, controlled by the states,

lacked the same religious enthusiasm New Protestant movements arise

John Wesley, creates Methodist Church Becomes big movement in England, ends slave trade,

brings English middle and lower class together into a community of believers

Religion and the Enlightenment

On page 279, write and answer questions 1-6

Chapter 15, Lesson 2