The Scientific Revolution (5)

Scientific Revolution

A period in history characterized by the emergence of modern science and new ways of understanding the natural world.

Ptolemaic Geocentric Model

An Earth-centered cosmological model where the Earth is at the center of the universe, as proposed by Ptolemy.

Aristotelian Physics

The set of natural philosophy ideas proposed by Aristotle that dominated medieval education, focusing on motion, causality, and the nature of the universe.

Medieval Universities

Institutions of higher learning in medieval Europe that emerged after the fall of the Roman Empire, often linked to the Church.

Eternity of the World

The forbidden proposition that the universe has no beginning or end, conflicting with Christian doctrine.

Limitations on Divine Power

The idea that God cannot create a vacuum or void in nature, which was argued by Aristotle.

Natural Causation Without Divine Influence

The belief that celestial bodies move according to natural laws without divine intervention, opposed by the Church.

Soul and Human Nature

The proposition that all humans share a single intellect rather than having individual souls, contradicting Christian beliefs.

Philosophy vs. Theology

The debate over whether philosophy or theology should take precedence in understanding truth.

Nicolaus Copernicus

A Renaissance mathematician and astronomer who proposed a heliocentric model of the universe.

Hesitant Revolutionary

Refers to Copernicus's cautious approach towards publishing his heliocentric theory.

Epicycles

Small circles whose centers move around the circumference of larger circles, used by Ptolemy for explaining planetary motion.

Supernova

An explosion of a star that results in a bright object, indicating that celestial bodies can change.

Johannes Kepler

A German astronomer and mathematician known for formulating the laws of planetary motion.

Kepler's First Law

Describes that planets orbit in ellipses with the Sun at one focus.

Kepler's Second Law

States that a line segment joining a planet and the Sun sweeps out equal areas during equal intervals of time.

Kepler's Third Law

States that the square of the orbital period of a planet is proportional to the cube of the semi-major axis of its orbit.

Astronomical Unit (AU)

The average distance from the Earth to the Sun, approximately 1.496 × 10^8 kilometers.

Parallax

The apparent displacement of an object due to a change in the observer's point of view.

Stellar Parallax

The apparent shift in a star’s position due to the Earth's annual orbit around the Sun.

Parsec (pc)

A unit of distance equal to approximately 3.26 light-years, defined as the distance at which one astronomical unit subtends an angle of one arcsecond.

Lunar Parallax Method

A method used by Aristarchus to estimate the Earth-Sun distance based on the Moon-Sun angle.

Tychonic System

Tycho Brahe's model which combines elements of geocentrism and heliocentrism, placing Earth at the center.

Supernova 1572

A notable astronomical event observed by Tycho Brahe evidencing that celestial bodies can change.

Eccentricity

A measure of how much an ellipse deviates from being circular, defined as the ratio of the distance from the center to a focus to the length of the semi-major axis.

Foci (Plural of Focus)

The two fixed points inside an ellipse from which the distances to any point on the ellipse are summed.

Semi-Major Axis

The longest radius of an ellipse, extending from the center to the furthest edge.

Semi-Minor Axis

The shortest radius of an ellipse, perpendicular to the semi-major axis.

Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion

A set of three laws describing the motion of planets in elliptical orbits around the Sun.

Retrograde Motion

The apparent backward motion of a planet as observed from Earth.

Natural Philosophy

The philosophical study of nature and the physical universe, particularly relevant in the context of the Scientific Revolution.

Catholic Church

The dominant religious institution in medieval Europe that played a significant role in education and scholarship.

Gutenberg's Printing Revolution

The major technological advance involving the printing press that facilitated the spread of scientific texts.

Aristotle's Works

The collection of texts by Aristotle that became central to medieval education and subsequently faced challenges by emerging scientific thought.

Authority

The power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience; a key concept examined in the context of university and church influence.

Intellectual Freedom

The ability to think, explore, and express ideas without censorship or restrictions; often limited by religious authority in medieval Europe.

Astronomical Observations

The systematic study and recording of celestial objects to understand astronomical phenomena.

Calculating Distances in Astronomy

Methods and mathematical techniques used to estimate distances in space, including parallax and using standard units like the AU.

Ecliptic

The apparent path of the Sun across the sky, which forms the basis for understanding the movements of celestial bodies.

Gravity

A natural phenomenon where two bodies exert an attractive force on each other, critical for understanding celestial mechanics.

Natural Laws

The principles that govern the behavior of the physical universe, as formulated by scientists like Newton and Kepler.

Empirical Evidence

Data and observations collected through experimentation and observation, foundational to the scientific method.

Theocratic Science

Scientific inquiry constrained by religious beliefs and interpretations, particularly in medieval contexts.

Cosmological Models

Frameworks used to explain the structure and origin of the universe, evolving from geocentric to heliocentric views during the Scientific Revolution.

Aristarchus

An ancient Greek astronomer who proposed an early heliocentric model and used parallax to study celestial distances.

Ptolemy

A Greco-Roman mathematician, astronomer, and geographer who developed the geocentric model of the universe.

Tycho Brahe

A Danish astronomer whose detailed observations paved the way for future astronomers, including Kepler.

Alhazen

An influential Islamic scholar in optics whose work contributed to the understanding of light and vision.

Avicenna

A Persian polymath whose writings in various disciplines, including philosophy and medicine, were pivotal during the Islamic Golden Age.

Al-Khwarizmi

An Islamic mathematician known for his work in algebra and the introduction of Hindu-Arabic numeral system in Europe.

Medieval Scholars

Individuals who contributed to the preservation and expansion of knowledge during the Middle Ages, often within religious institutions.

Causal Laws

Principles that define the relationships between causes and effects in natural phenomena.

Mathematics in Astronomy

The application of mathematical principles to understand celestial phenomena and develop models of the universe.

Philosophical Inquiry

The pursuit of knowledge through questioning and reasoned argumentation, crucial for the development of scientific thought.

Celestial Mechanics

The branch of astronomy that deals with the motions of celestial objects, as guided by gravitational forces.

Circle

A round plane figure whose boundary consists of points equidistant from a fixed center; fundamental in understanding orbits.

Scientific Texts

Writings that convey scientific knowledge, ideas, and methodologies, especially significant in the context of the printing revolution.

Alchemy

A philosophical and protoscientific tradition aiming to transform matter, particularly through the pursuit of converting base metals into gold.

Astrology

A belief system suggesting a relationship between the positions of celestial objects and events on Earth.

Personal Salvations

Concepts related to individual spiritual redemption, particularly in contrast to philosophical ideas about the soul and intellect.

Renaissance Polymath

A person of wide-ranging knowledge and expertise across multiple fields, including art, science, and humanities during the Renaissance.

Celestial Bodies

Natural bodies in space, such as stars, planets, moons, and asteroids.

Uniform Circular Motion

The motion of an object traveling at a constant speed in a circular path, a key belief in early astronomical models.

Astronomical Observations

The act of observing celestial events or bodies to gather data about the universe.