Unit 4.2: Scientific Revolution

Scientific Revolution

A period during the 16th and 17th centuries when new ideas in science emerged due to Renaissance humanism and observation based sciences.

Empirical Evidence

Information acquired by observation or experimentation that is used to develop scientific theories.

Geocentric Universe

The model of the universe that places the Earth at its center, as proposed by Ptolemy.

Heliocentric Theory

The astronomical model which posits that the Sun is at the center of the universe, first proposed by Nicolaus Copernicus.

Johannes Kepler

A German astronomer who supported Copernicus’s heliocentric model and discovered that planetary orbits are elliptical.

Galileo Galilei

An Italian astronomer who made significant discoveries using a telescope, supporting the heliocentric theory.

Empiricism

The theory that all knowledge is derived from sense-experience and experimentation, associated with Francis Bacon.

Universal Law of Gravitation

Isaac Newton's law stating that every point mass attracts every other point mass by a force directed along the line joining them.

Anatomy

The branch of science concerned with the bodily structure of humans, animals, and other living organisms.

Humoral Theory

The ancient belief that bodily fluids (humors) influence health and disease, notably proposed by Galen.

Inductive Reasoning

A logical process in which multiple premises, all believed true, are combined to obtain a specific conclusion.

Deductive Reasoning

A logical process where a conclusion is reached by stating a general principle and then applying it to a specific case.

Alchemy

An early form of chemistry that aimed to transform base metals into gold and discover a universal elixir.

Natural History

The study of organisms, including systems of classification and the relationships between various species.

Cosmology

The branch of astronomy that deals with the origins and evolution of the universe.

On the Revolution of the Heavenly Spheres

Copernicus's work that proposed the heliocentric model of the universe.

On the Movement of the Heart and Blood

William Harvey's publication which described the circulatory system and how blood is pumped from the heart.