Middle ages / Scientific Revolution / Age of Enlightenment

Middle Ages

• From the 5th to the 15th century

• It began with the fall of the western roman empire

• Transitioned into the Renaissance and the Age of Discovery

Technological Advancement during Middle Ages

• Printing Press

• Heavy Plough

• Mechanical Clock

• Blast furnace

• Hour glass

• Tidal mills

Before the Scientific Revolution

• Science was called “natural philosophy”

• Science mixed with moral philosophy, theology, numerology, alchemy, & magic

• Ancient greek sources highly trusted

• Few experiments were performed

Scientific revolution

• From 16th to 18th centuries

• Emergence of modern science

• Replaced greek views (lasted for 2000 years)

• Replaced christianity (In Europe)

• A gradual shift over centuries in how people approached science and knowledge.

• Replaced reliance on ancient Greek and Roman thinkers like Aristotle, Ptolemy, and Galen.

• These thinkers were often wrong, but their ideas went unchallenged for centuries.

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Front Liners of the Scientific Revolution

Kepler, Copernicus, Newton, Galileo, Descartes, and Ptolemy

Ptolemy

proposed the geocentric theory. Geo means earth while centric means center.

Nicolaus Coppernicus

• proposed the heliocentric theory. Hello means sun while centric means center

Galileo Galilei

• invented the telescope. Observed Jupiter’s satellites

John Kepler

• best known for his laws of planetary motion. He formed a key figure in the 17th century scientific revolution

Sir Isaac Newton

• Formulated the universal law of gravitation and laws of motion

Technological innovations during scientific revolution

• Torrecelli’s barometer

• Janssen’s Microscope

• Lippershey’s telescope

• Galileo’s telescope

• Galileo’s thermometer

Scientific Revolution in Paradigm shift

• A fundamental change in approach or underlying assumptions

• A time when the usual and accepted way of doing or thinking about something changes complete 

Scientific Revolution - Paradigm Shift (Astronomy)

• Ptolmy’s Geocentric vc Copernicus Heliocentric Theory

• Geocentric - Earth is the center of the solar system

• Heliocentric - sun is the center of the solar system

Scientific Revolution - Examples of Paradigm shift (Natural Sciences)

• Biogenesis vs Spontaneous generation - origin of life

• Use and disuse theory vs natural selection - evolution of life

• Billiard ball model vs cloud mode - atomic structure

Enlightenment - Age of reason

• was an intellectual and philosophical movement that dominated the world of ideas in Europe during the 18th century, the “century of philosophy”

• 17th century there was wars of religion

• So they establish logic and reason since that was universal 

• Rene Descartes

  •  said Doubt everything, until you can logically prove it 

  • “i think before i am”

  • I can logically prove i exist 

  • We can logically prove that God exists

• Immanuel Kant

  • Logic and reason are supreme

  • We can logically prove what is right and wrong

  • It is irrational to act in an immoral way

  • Logicallt, God must exists

• John Locke

  • “Conflict arises when people try to enforce their religious views on others,”

  • therefore , logically, religious tolerance will make society more peaceful

Skepticism

• Rather than being content with blind faith, Enlightenment thinkers wanted proof that something was true

Reason

• Enlightenment philosophers believed that rational thought could lead to human improvement and was the most legitimate mode of thinking

Progress

• The centuries before the Enlightenment were characterized by rapid changes, from the discoveries of the scientific revolution to the exploration of the world and the advancement on art techniques during the Renaissance

Joseph Black

• Discovered carbon dioxide (fixed air)

James Watt

• Invented the condensation steam engine which of the driving forces of stream engine

Antoine Lavoisier

Most noted for his discovery of the role oxygen plays in combustion

Montgolfier brothers

• Enabled them to launch the first manned flight in a hot-air balloon on November 1783

Francis Bacon

• Proposed scientific method and methodical scientific inquiry in investigating scientific phenomena

Rene Descartes

• Made a significant contribution to the philosophy of rationalism

Thomas Jefferson

• Laid out the fundamental principle of America, calling for equality and liberty. He also advocated ending slavery and promoting religious tolerance

Voltaire

• Was instrumental in promoting republican ideas due to his criticism of the absolute monarchy of France 

• “Society should be based upon reason rather than faith”

• Believed france should have a similar constitutional monarchy like britain has had ever since the glorious revolution

Galileo

_ supported Copernicus and was placed under house arrest.

1758

The Church started lifting bans on heliocentric works by

science

The Scientific Revolution focused on methods and discoveries in

philosophy, religion, and politics

The Enlightenment came later and was more about

French enlightenment

• Discussions in the salons of paris

• Discussed how society should be organized logically