The Scientific RevolutionOr: How Europeans Learned to

Control the World

The Scientific Revolution

Adds to the sense that humans can know and learn

Suggests Humans are not perfect but can improve

Questions the traditional Religious Explanations for events

Emphasizes science and Logic over faith.

Ancient IdeasPtolemyAncient Greek guy

Geocentric conceptEarth is the centerEverything revolves around earth in perfect circles

The universe is constant - never changing

Copernicus’ Ideas

Heliocentric TheorySun center of Universe (or at least the solar system) He couldn’t PROVE itExplains calendar inconsistencies better

Planets orbit sun in perfect circles

Tycho Brahe (1546 - 1601)

A SERIOUS Loner!Observed & mapped over 700 stars in a 20 year periodObservations backed up heliocentric theory

1572 Discovered a Supernova

What is the significance?

Johannes Kepler (1571-1630)

Laws of Planetary Motion

Using math and observations, was able to prove Copernicus was right

Also found that Planets move in ellipses (ovals)

Explains movements better

Galileo GalileiTests gravity on

Tower of PisaDrops weights of various mass

32 ft/sec/sec

TelescopeMoons of Saturn visibleMoon is not perfect

Brings up religious questions

Why would God NOT put us in the middle of everything?Are we not special?

Galileo and the Inquisition

Condemned by Church for questioning Creation story

Changed his story upon threat of death

Later recanted and republished his findings

Put under house arrest for life

Newton, Sir Isaac (1642-1727)

Explained Gravitation

Explains Kepler’s laws

Three laws of motionObjects in motion stay in motion

Equal and opposite reactions

Force on an object is equal to its mass x’s acceleration

René Descartes (1595-1650)

Deductive LogicCogito ergo sum

I think, therefore I am

I can use logic to prove things.

Sir Francis Bacon (1561 - 1626)

Preferred inductive approach

Critical of Descartes

Gave primacy to senses & direct experience

Scientific Method

The European Enlightenment

Applying Science to Society

Philosophes

Voltaire & Other writers

Popularized rationalismReason Can solve the problems of the worldHumans perfectiblePreferred “Enlightened Despot”

John Locke (1632-1704)

Applies rationalism to society

Argues for Tolerance

Society is an agreement in whichIndividuals give up freedom to protect freedom

Have right to overthrow government

The Right to Remove Tyrannical Government

Whensoever, therefore, the legislative shall transgress this fundamental rule of society. . . Endeavour to grasp themselves or put into the hands of any other an absolute power. . . They forfeit the power the people had put into their hands. . .the people, who have a right to resume their original liberty. . .”

John Locke, The Second Treatise of Civil Government

Jean-Jaques Rousseau

The Social ContractHumans agree to societyContract means must set up laws & abide by themRepublic - democracy does not workElected officials

The Social Contract

“Man was born free, but everywhere he is in chains. . . At a point in the state of nature when the obstacles to human preservation have become greater than each individual . . .can cope with. . ., and adequate combination of forces must be the result of men coming together. Still, each man’s power and freedom are his main means of self-preservation. How is he to put them under the control of others without damaging himself. . .?”

The state only gains powers by “the right of first holder which the individuals convey to the state.”

Each citizen MUST participate in the political process as an individual, not as a member of an interest group.