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The Scientific Revolution

The Scientific Revolution began in the 16th century as scientists began questioning accepted beliefs and forming new theories based on experimentation. Key figures like Copernicus, Galileo, Descartes, Bacon, and Newton developed new models of the universe, astronomy, physics, and scientific methodology. Their work challenged the church and Aristotelian views, and led to advances in fields like medicine, chemistry, and technology that had widespread social and political impacts over subsequent centuries.

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66 views

The Scientific Revolution

The Scientific Revolution began in the 16th century as scientists began questioning accepted beliefs and forming new theories based on experimentation. Key figures like Copernicus, Galileo, Descartes, Bacon, and Newton developed new models of the universe, astronomy, physics, and scientific methodology. Their work challenged the church and Aristotelian views, and led to advances in fields like medicine, chemistry, and technology that had widespread social and political impacts over subsequent centuries.

Uploaded by

amita gupta
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Scientific Revolution

In the mid-1500s, scientists begin


to question accepted beliefs and
make new theories based on
experimentation
Objective
 To understand the causes of the scientific
revolution of the 16th and 17th centuries
 To understand the ideas of key figures of
the Scientific Revolution
 To understand the significance of the
Scientific Revolution
Essential Questions
Write these down!
 1. To what extent are revolutions necessary?

 2. How does a change in thought affect


people?

 3. How does the individual effect world


events?

33
Causes of the Scientific Revolution
• Trade and Expansion of Trade
– navigational problems generated research
• Medieval Universities
– study of Plato, Aristotle, Ptolemy and Democritus were
essential--> These guys were the “Classics”

• The Renaissance
– value of mathematics
– Humanism.
– Printing Press
Medieval Science
 Not really “science” but accepted body of
tradition

 Who supported this “tradition”?


– The Church and common sense
The Ptolemaic System
 Geocentric Model
Earth

What is wrong about this


diagram of the universe?

How do YOU know that


it is wrong?
The Roots of Modern Science
 The Medieval View
• Most knowledge in the
Middle Ages comes
from the Bible and
Greek/Roman
sources.
• Supports geocentric
theory—moon, sun,
planets REVOLVE
AROUND THE EARTH
The Roots of Modern Science
 A New Way of Thinking
• Renaissance prompts new ways of
thinking (1300-1600)
• Scientific Revolution—new way of
viewing the natural world—based on
observation and inquiry
• New discoveries, overseas exploration
open up thinking
• Scholars make new developments in
astronomy and mathematics.
A Revolutionary Model of the Universe
 The Heliocentric
Theory
• Copernicus develops
the heliocentric theory
—planets REVOLVE
AROUND THE SUN
• Later scientists
mathematically prove
Copernicus to be
correct
Nicolaus
Copernicus
A Revolutionary Model of the Universe
 Galileo’s Discoveries
• He makes discovery
about planets and
planets surfaces
• Supports heliocentric
theory
• Law of Pendulum and
Rule of falling objects
• Challenged Aristotle’s
previously held beliefs

Galileo Galilei
 Conflict with the
Church
• Church attacks
Galileo’s work, fears it
will weaken people’s
faith
• Pope forces Galileo to
declare his and other
new findings are
wrong
• He could PROVE his
beliefs with logic and
common sense
Cristiano Banti's 1857 painting Galileo facing
the Roman Inquisition
The Scientific Method

Francis Bacon (1561-1626) René Descartes (1595-1650)


Francis Bacon
(1561-1626)
• Proposed INDUCTION
– make a lot of observations then generalize rules of
nature - this leads to scientific observation as a method

• Promoted the modern idea of progress because he


wanted application of science
• Problem of Induction
– there is no logical reason to go argue from any amount
of experience to a general law.
Rene Descartes
(1596-1650)
• Great mathematician - showed that any
algebraic equation could be plotted on a graph

• In this manner he linked Greek with Hindu


and Arabic knowledge

• Also looked at DEDUCTION - go from a


theory to the facts

• Only wants what is absolute-->leads to proof


of God.
Newton Explains the Law of Gravity
 Newton’s Theories
• English scientist Isaac
Newton develops theory
of motion—states some
forces rule motion of
planets, matter in
space, and earth
• LAW OF GRAVITY

Isaac Newton in 1689


Newton Explains the Law of Gravity
 Newton’s Theories
(continued)
• Motion in space and
earth linked by the law
of universal gravitation
—holds that every
object is universe
attracts every other
object
• Newton views the
universe as a vast,
perfect mechanical
clock

Isaac Newton in 1702


The Scientific Revolution Spreads
 Scientific
Instruments
• Scientists develop
microscope,
barometer, and
thermometer
microscope • New instruments
thermometer lead to better
observations and
new discoveries
simple mercury
barometer
The Scientific Revolution Spreads
 Medicine and the
Human Body
• Andreas Vesalius
improves
knowledge of
anatomy

Andreas Vesalius
The Scientific Revolution Spreads
 Medicine and the
Human Body
(continued)
• Edward Jenner
produces world’s
first vaccination—
for smallpox
1802 caricature of Jenner vaccinating patients who
feared it would make them sprout cow like appendages.
The Scientific Revolution Spreads
 Discoveries in
Chemistry
• Robert Boyle argues
that matter is made
of many different
particles
• Boyle’s law reveals
interaction of
volume,
temperature, and
gas pressure.
Effect of Revolution
• Social impact
– rich get richer
– not much immediate direct change for peasants
– widens intellectual gap
• Effect on navigation, map making and artillery
- Successful exploration and conquests

• Science has innumerable social effects over time: new guns, bigger armies,
more taxes, social discontent

– guns lead to European colonialism (more accurate cannon fire)


• New way of observing and looking at the world.

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