1. The Scientific Revolution
A New World View

2. What Was the Scientific
Revolution?
 A revolution in human
understanding and
knowledge about the
physical universe
 17th Century
 Began w/ Kepler, Galileo
 Ended w/ Newton

3. “Science” Before the SR
 Based on reasoning
 Experimental
method or
observation - not
used
 Medieval Science
 Alchemy
 Astrology

4. Creating a New Worldview
 Hallmarks of SR
 Questioning of old knowledge &
assumptions
 Gradual replacement of religious &
superstitious presumptions
 Gradual rise of science & reason

5. Factors Leading to SR
 Rise of universities
 Renaissance
 Reformation
 Exploration

6. Astronomy & Physics
 Work with the person next to you and
diagram the Universe as we know it
today
 Be as accurate as possible
 You have 2 minutes…

7. How does
your diagram
differ?

8. Astronomy & Physics
 Prior to SR - Ptolemaic System
prevailed
 Geocentric Universe
 Earth is at center
 Remains fixed while the heavens move
around it

10. Nicolaus Copernicus
 1473-1543
 Polish
 Suggested the universe
was heliocentric

11. Copernicus’ Heliocentric
Universe
 Sun centered
 Planets revolved around sun
 Moon, around Earth
 Earth rotated on an
axis

12. Copernican Universe
 Afraid of the Catholic Church
 Published theory
on his deathbed

13. Tycho Brahe
 1546-1601
 Danish
mathematician
 More accurate
positioning of
planets

14. Johannes Kepler
 1571-1630
 German mathematician
 Proved Copernican theory
via math
 Kepler’s First Law
 Earth orbits in an elliptical
(egg-shaped) pattern, not
circular like Copernicus
suggested

15. Galileo Galilei
 1564-1642
 Italian mathematician
 First telescope
 Went public with
heliocentrism

16. Science on Trial
 Catholic Church - not
happy
 Arrested by Inquisition
 Tried
 Condemned
 Forced to recant
Copernican views
 House arrest

17. Sir Isaac Newton
 1642-1727
 British mathematician
 Laws of motion

18. Universal Law of Gravity
 Explains why planets continue an
elliptical orbit around sun
 Mathematical in nature
 States that every object in the
universe is attracted to every other
object by a force called gravity

19. Medicine
 Better
understanding of
anatomy &
physiology
 Microscope invented

20. Chemistry
 Robert Boyle
 Boyle’s Law (properties of
gasses)
 Antoine Lavoisier
 Father of modern chemistry
 Invented system for naming
chemical elements still used
today (periodic table)

21. Rationalism
 Reason, not tradition, is
the source of all
knowledge
 René Descartes (1596-
1650)
 French philosopher &
mathematician
 Cogito, ergo sum (“I
think, therefore I am”)
 Deductive reasoning
(general specific)

22. Empiricism
 The belief that experience is the only
true source of knowledge
 Huge shift toward empiricism in the SR
 Led to development of the Scientific
Method

23. Scientific Method
 Francis Bacon (1561-1627)
 English philosopher &
empiricist
 Systematic procedure for
collecting & analyzing
evidence
 Inductive reasoning
(specific general)

24. Homework: Women of the SR
 Read page 307 in your
textbook
 Write, in your notes, the
field of study & major
accomplishment(s) of:
 Margaret Cavendish
 Maria Winkelmann
Margaret Cavendish

26. Homework
 Read “Opposing Viewpoints: Faith vs.
Science” on pg. 305
 Answer the DBQs using BOTH:
 Facts from class
 The primary sources given