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astronomy
The branch of science that deals with the study of celestial objects, the universe, the heavens.
astrology
A pseudoscience that attempts to predict events by the study of the movement of stars and planets.
star charts
Maps of the nighttime sky showing constellations and stars; used for navigation for centuries.
Ptolemy
A 100’s CE Greek-Egyptian astronomer and cartographer who supported the geocentric theory of the universe.
geocentric theory
An ancient theory that the earth is at the center of the universe and all heavenly objects revolve around it.
heliocentric theory
A theory that the sun is at the center of the universe and the earth revolves around it.
elliptical
An enclosed circle that is oval in shape.
telescope
A scientific tool used to enhance sight when observing celestial objects.
lunar
Of, or pertaining to the moon.
solar
Of, or pertaining to the sun.
Inquisition
Religious courts set up by Catholic authorities to root out anyone suspected of holding views contradictory to Catholic teachings.
heresy
To hold positions that are contrary to the accepted teachings of a religious community.
recant
To assert that one no longer accepts beliefs that one once supported; to take back something once proclaimed.
alchemy
A forerunner of chemistry focused on the transformation of matter, especially base metals into gold.
Universal Laws
Belief in physics that there are scientific rules that are true everywhere and for all time.
gravity
A natural phenomenon in which all objects with mass and energy are drawn towards one another.
plagiarize
To take credit for the work of someone else and to pass it off as your own.
mechanistic
Theories that explain phenomena in purely physical or deterministic terms.
anatomy
The branch of science that deals with the study of the bodily structure of humans and other animals.
Galen
A 100’s CE Greek physician whose ideas about anatomy and medicine dominated medical theories for over 1,000 years.
bloodletting
The now discredited practice of withdrawing blood from a patient to treat or prevent illness.
folk remedies
The use of herbs, foods, and household items to treat illnesses and disease by medical laymen.
circulatory system
The complex system of veins and arteries that move blood through the body.
entomology
The branch of zoology concerned with the study of insects.
metamorphosis
In insects or amphibians, the transformation from an immature form to an adult form in two or more distinct stages.
Smallpox
A viral infection that caused high fever and painful blisters; over 90% of the infected died.
inoculation
A method of injecting immunities to a particular disease directly into the body.
querelles de femmes
Term for the centuries-long debate about the proper role for women in European society.
midwife
Historically, a woman trained in the care of expecting mothers and in the delivery of babies.
Index
A list of books prohibited to read by Catholics, first compiled at the Council of Trent.
Rationalism
The theory that opinions or actions should be based on reason and knowledge rather than emotions.
cogito ergo sum
Famous Latin expression credited to Descartes; translates as 'I think, therefore I am.'
Empiricism
The theory that all knowledge comes from experience and evidence rather than tradition.
Scientific Method
A three-step process of hypothesis, experimentation, and new hypothesis developed in the 1600s.
Scientific Societies
National scientific organizations that bring together leading scientists to share and collaborate.
Enlightenment
An intellectual movement of the 17th and 18th centuries challenging ideas of God, nature, reason, and humanity.
philosophes
French term for 'philosopher,' referring to leading intellectuals of the Enlightenment.
relativism
Belief that knowledge, truth, and morality exist in relation to culture and society, and are not absolute.
noble savage
An Enlightenment idea that early man was happier and freer than supposedly civilized Europeans.
censorship
The suppression of any part of a book or work due to perceived offensive content.
salon
Fashionable rooms in Parisian homes for debating ideas of the Enlightenment.
separation of powers
Political concept where government powers are divided into different branches.
Deism
A philosophical movement believing in a Creator but rejecting the concept of a redeemer God.
Enlightened Absolutism
Political idea that a monarch should possess all power but use it wisely for the benefit of subjects.
anti-clerical
To be opposed to the power of religious authorities.
natural state
Rousseau's idea that people lived in a morally neutral state and were happier than Europeans.
general will
Political philosophy that people share a common goal for personal and communal happiness.
physiocrats
17th and 18th century philosophers who dedicated their studies to economics.
