Scientific Revolution (1543)Unit 3: Revolution
Vocabulary
● Geocentric: Earth-centered view of the universe
● Heliocentric: Sun-centered view of the universe
● Philosopher: A person who seeks wisdom or enlightenment; a scholar or a
thinker
Causes of the Scientific Revolution
● Increased need for careful observation and accurate measurements
● Invention of new instruments like the telescope and microscope
● Printing press allowed new ideas to spread quickly and easily
● Scientific Revolution: A new way of thinking about the natural world, and
an increased willingness to question beliefs
What it was Before
● Prior to the SR, Europeans believed in the Ptolemaic
System○ A geocentric model of the universe that combined ideas of Aristotle,
Christianity, and Ptolemy
○ Earth, which contained God’s chosen people, was the center of the
universe
■ “The Lord set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved”
Psalms 104:5
“Ptolemy is compared to a whimsical cook who, instead of turning his meat in roasting, should…contrive to have his whole fire, kitchen and all, whirling continually ‘round it.”
- Ben Franklin
Copernicus and Kepler
● Nicholas Copernicus determined that the universe is
heliocentric○ Theory challenged centuries of scientific and religious belief
○ Prominent religious leaders criticized his findings
● Johannes Kepler confirms and builds on ideas of
Copernicus (and mentor Tycho Brahe)■ Laws of Planetary Motion: Planets orbit the sun in ellipses
Scientific Breakthroughs
● Galileo’s Discoveries
○ Builds own telescope in 1609 CE
○ Observations and discoveries challenge those of old Greek
philosophers
■ Heavenly bodies (planets) made up of material substance, not
pure light
○ Forced to recant (publicly deny) his own theories by the Catholic
Church
■ Later convicted of heresy and imprisoned until death
Newton’s View of the Universe
● Isaac Newton is often called the greatest genius of the Scientific
Revolution
○ Newton defined three laws of motion
■ Main idea is the universal law of gravitation: Explains that a force called
“gravity,” which attracts all objects to each other, is what keeps planets in
elliptical orbit
● Newton’s writings explained his findings step-by-step
○ Simple writing, relatively easy to understand
○ Changed the way Europeans saw the universe
Breakthroughs in Medicine and Chemistry
● The willingness to question past beliefs bled into medicine and chemistry,
leading to many discoveries○ Robert Boyle
■ Proposed that matter was made up of smaller particles that joined together in
different ways
○ Antoine Lavoisier
■ Conservation of matter; “father of modern chemistry”
■ First list of elements
■ Devised the metric system
○ William Harvey
■ Heart is the beginning point for blood circulation
Philosophy and Reason
● Rene Descartes
○ Father of modern rationalism: system of thought based on the belief that
reason is the chief source of knowledge
● Francis Bacon
○ Bacon devised the Scientific Method: A systematic procedure for collecting
and analyzing evidence
● People begin using their own reason (Descartes) and observations (Bacon)
to find answers instead of the gov’t or church
Inductive Reasoning Examples
Inductive reasoning: Reaching a general conclusion based on multiple
observations; finding a pattern
● The teacher used PowerPoint on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.● Therefore, the teacher will use PowerPoint on Thursday.
● I met a mechanic in Flagstaff and he was very nice.● I met a waitress in Flagstaff and she was very nice.● I met a college student in Flagstaff and she was very nice.● Therefore, everyone in Flagstaff is very nice.
• “I think, therefore I am.”
• “We cannot doubt our existence if we
doubt.”
or
• “I doubt, therefore I think, therefore I am.”
• Meaning: The very act of doubting one’s
own existence proves the existence of
one’s self
RENE DESCARTES
Societal Impact
● The Scientific Revolution gave society many new discoveries about nature
and the human body
○ Medicine improves, bringing a higher life expectancy
○ Surgeries and childbirth become less dangerous with new knowledge of the
human body
● The Scientific Revolution provided new ways of thinking
○ Allows for the Enlightenment to take place
Exit Ticket
With a partner, on one paper, fully answer and explain the following:
● Explain the relationship between Kepler, Galileo, Newton, and Copernicus
● Why is Newton so important to the big picture of the Scientific Revolution?
● Why was the theory of heliocentrism so threatening to the Church?
Turn in answers to the front desk when finished