Toward a New Heaven and a New Earth: The Scientific Revolution and the Emergence of Modern Science

These flashcards cover fundamental concepts, definitions, and key figures associated with the Scientific Revolution and the emergence of modern science.

Scientific Revolution

A period in the 16th and 17th centuries characterized by major advancements in science and the rejection of the medieval worldview.

Heliocentrism

The astronomical model in which the earth and planets revolve around the sun at the center of the universe.

Geocentrism

The astronomical model that places the earth at the center of the universe, which was widely accepted until the Scientific Revolution.

Copernicus

Polish astronomer who proposed the heliocentric model of the universe.

Galileo Galilei

Italian scientist known for his contributions to astronomy, including the use of the telescope to observe celestial bodies.

Isaac Newton

English mathematician and physicist who formulated the laws of motion and universal gravitation.

Scientific Method

A systematic approach to research and experimentation that is fundamental to scientific inquiry.

Deductive reasoning

A logical process in which a conclusion follows necessarily from the premises; used in the scientific method.

Inductive reasoning

A logical process that involves forming generalizations based on specific observations and evidence.

Empiricism

A theory that states knowledge comes primarily from sensory experience.

Francis Bacon

An English philosopher and statesman who is known for advocating the scientific method and empirical evidence.

Rene Descartes

French philosopher and mathematician who is often credited as the father of modern philosophy and rationalism.

Alchemy

A historical practice that aimed to transform base metals into gold and discover a universal elixir; often mixed with early scientific practices.

Anatomy

The branch of science concerned with the study of the structure of organisms and their parts.

William Harvey

British physician known for his discovery of the circulation of blood in the body.

Theories of the Four Humors

Ancient medical theory stating that bodily fluids (blood, phlegm, black bile, yellow bile) influence health and temperament.

Newton's Laws of Motion

Three physical laws that together form the foundation for classical mechanics.

Mathematics in Science

The use of mathematical principles as a tool for formulating scientific theories and laws.

Royal Society

An esteemed institution for scientific advancement in England, founded in the 17th century.

Paris Academy of Sciences

A national scientific institution in France, created to promote scientific knowledge and research.

Telescope

An optical instrument that makes distant objects appear nearer and is essential for astronomical observations.

Microscope

An instrument used to see objects that are too small for the naked eye, crucial for advancements in biology.

Astronomy

The study of celestial bodies and the universe, significantly advanced during the Scientific Revolution.

Natural Philosophy

A term that encompasses the study of nature and the physical universe that was used before the development of natural sciences.

Galileo's Inquisition

The trial and condemnation of Galileo by the Catholic Church for advocating heliocentrism.

Pascal's Wager

Blaise Pascal's philosophical argument that it is a better bet to believe in God than not to believe.

Hermeticism

A philosophical system that combines elements of magic and science during the Renaissance.

Macroscopic-Microscopic Principle

The belief that the universe can be understood by seeing human beings as a reflection of the cosmos.

Margaret Cavendish

An early modern female scientist who wrote about natural philosophy and challenged conventional ideas.

Maria Merian

German entomologist known for her detailed studies and illustrations of plant and insect life.

Cartesian Dualism

Descartes' idea that mind and body exist as two separate entities that interact.

Empirical Evidence

Information acquired by observation or experimentation that is used to substantiate claims.

Naturalism

A philosophy asserting that everything arises from natural properties and causes.

Mechanism

The theory that natural phenomena can be explained by physical processes and laws.

Challenging Traditional Authority

The act of questioning long-held beliefs and the authority figures who uphold them, characteristic of the Scientific Revolution.

Proto-science

Early forms of scientific inquiry that lacked rigorous methodology and empirical standards.

Social Implications of Science

The effects that scientific discoveries and methods have on society, culture, and religion.

Astronomical Observations

The practice of observing celestial phenomena, crucial for advancements in astronomy.

Natural Causes vs. Divine Forces

The distinction between explanations based on natural phenomena rather than supernatural beings or forces.

Scientific Communication

The exchange of research findings and ideas among scientists through publications and societies.

Newtonian Physics

The physical laws formulated by Isaac Newton that describe the motion of objects and universal gravitation.

Transmutation

The concept in alchemy of changing one substance into another, notably base metals into gold.

Natural Remedies

Medicinal treatments derived from plants and minerals that were used during the Scientific Revolution.

Rejection of Dogmatism

The act of rejecting established beliefs without questioning, prevalent in scientific inquiry during the Scientific Revolution.

Scientific Societies

Organizations formed to promote scientific knowledge, collaboration, and dissemination of discoveries.

Observational Science

The branch of science that relies on observing and experimenting to gather data and draw conclusions.

Scientific Revolution Impact

The Scientific Revolution significantly changed the way people viewed the universe, emphasizing observation and evidence over superstition and tradition.

Theory of Relativity

A framework developed by Albert Einstein that revolutionized concepts of space, time, and gravity.

Quantum Mechanics

A fundamental theory in physics that provides a description of the physical properties of nature at the scale of atoms and subatomic particles.

Skepticism in Science

An approach that involves questioning the validity of accepted beliefs and theories, which is crucial for scientific advancement.