scientific revolution pt 1-3

Rene Descartes

French philosopher and mathematician known for his statement 'Cogito, ergo sum' and contributions to rationalism.

Thirty Years’ War

A series of conflicts in Europe (1618-1648) involving multiple countries primarily over religious and political disputes.

Personal Reaction to War

Descartes described the Thirty Years' War as 'stupid' and 'a waste', leading him to seek comfort in mathematics.

Scientific Revolution

A period in the 17th century characterized by advances in scientific thought, often seen as a response to religious conflict.

Protestant Reformation

A movement that began in 1517, leading to the fragmentation of the Catholic Church and numerous wars.

Peace of Augsburg

A treaty in the late 1550s that allowed rulers to choose their territory's religion, either Catholicism or Lutheranism.

Epistemology

The study of knowledge; questions concerning belief, truth, and justification.

Empiricism

The theory that knowledge comes primarily from sensory experience.

Rationalism

The philosophical view that reason is the primary source of knowledge.

Inductive reasoning

A method of reasoning in which general principles are derived from specific observations.

Deductive reasoning

A logical process in which a conclusion is based on the concordance of multiple premises.

Cogito, ergo sum

Latin for 'I think, therefore I am'; a fundamental element of Western philosophy by Descartes.

Cartesian dualism

Descartes' theory that the mind and body are two distinct entities.

Francis Bacon

An English philosopher and statesman who developed the scientific method and promoted inductive reasoning.

Baconian method

A method of scientific inquiry involving observation, hypothesis formulation, and experimentation.

Universal laws

Principles that govern nature, believed to be applicable in all contexts without sectarian limitations.

Scientific method

A systematic procedure for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, and correcting previous knowledge.

Natural philosophy

The study of nature and the physical universe that was a precursor to modern science.

Mechanistic universe

The view that the universe operates like a machine governed by natural laws.

Deism

The belief in a God who created the world but does not intervene in its workings.

Royal Society of London

An institution established in 1662 for the promotion of natural knowledge through experimental science.

Académie Royale des Sciences

A French institution founded in 1666 to champion scientific research and discussions.

Observatories

Buildings or facilities equipped for observing astronomical events or conducting scientific measurements.

Legacies of the Scientific Revolution

The foundational impacts on subsequent technological, philosophical, and social development resulting from scientific advancements.

Separation of disciplines

The differentiation of science from philosophy, theology, and the arts during the Scientific Revolution.

Skepticism

An attitude of doubt towards knowledge claims, requiring proof through empirical or rational testing.

First principles

Self-evident truths that serve as the foundation for a system of thought, particularly in Descartes' philosophy.

Inductive vs. Deductive

Inductive reasoning draws general conclusions from specific instances, while deductive reasoning applies general principles to reach specific conclusions.

Crisis-driven intellectual movements

The tendency for significant intellectual advancements to emerge in response to social and political upheavals.

Luther’s 95 Theses

A document written by Martin Luther in 1517 that criticized the Catholic Church and initiated the Protestant Reformation.

Fragmentation of the Holy Roman Empire

The division of the HRE along confessional lines, leading to prolonged religious conflicts.

Royal patronage

Support provided by monarchs to scientific endeavors, often for political and ideological reasons.

Heretic

A person who holds beliefs contrary to the orthodox doctrines of a religious institution.

Technological control over nature

The ability to manipulate natural elements through scientific knowledge, a theme of the Scientific Revolution.

Galileo Galilei

An Italian astronomer and physicist whose work laid foundational aspects of modern science.

Isaac Newton

A key figure in the Scientific Revolution known for his laws of motion and universal gravitation.