Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543)

• Created the Heliocentric model. Found the approximate orbit period. Found that the Earth orbits around the Sun annually, and that Earth turns on its axis. Found the order of the plants. The heliocentric model went against the Church- even though Copernicus was Catholic.

• MAIN THING: space and shit

Galileo Galilei (1564-1642)

• Created the Geocentric model. Made the telescope. Said that the heliocentric model was cute, but that the geocentric model was correct because you can see it. Discovered Jupiter's moons and named them after himself.

• MAIN THING: space and shit pt 2, but half wrong

Francis Bacon (1561-1626)

• Credited with the discovery of the Scientific method. Created the pyramid of knowledge (DIKW- data, info, knowledge, wisdom), the four idols that cause inaccuracy (Tribe- ignorance due to personal experience. Cave- tunnel vision due to personal interest. Marketplace, deception through words. Theater- holding onto the old ways, not being able to grow), classification of sciences, natural philosophy. Says that minds aren’t accurate in their depiction of things. 

• MAIN THING: Psychology bitch, dips his toes into other things. “Knowledge is power.”

René Descartes (1596-1650)

• Made a system so you can add letters to math. Made rules for deductive reasoning. How to plot points on a graph. Separation between mind and body. Says the nature of a mind is to think. If a thing does not think, it is not a mind.

• MAIN THING: Math guy trying to be smart and religious like Bacon. Think of that Detroit: Become Human with his mind/thinking thing. “I think, therefore I am.”

Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679)

• Best known for Leviathan which was written during the English Civil War that includes the social contract theory. Says that humans are naturally self interested. Says that a strong central government is necessary to prevent chaos and maintain control.

• MAIN THING: Political philosophy that wants social contract.

John Locke (1632-1704)

• Radical asf. Credited with the creation of the social contract theory. Influenced the concept of constitutional monarchy. Says that people have natural rights (life, liberty, and property). If the royals don’t protect these rights, they might be removed (with force is necessary). Says that all knowledge (including moral) is learned through experience, and isn’t innate. Believed in natural law (a natural moral law that supports the rightness and wrongness of all human contact) and religious toleration.

• MAIN THING: OG rebel, founder of modern “liberal” thought. Social contract theory, right to revolt. Knowledge is learned. “Whenever Law ends, Tyranny begins.”

Montesquieu (1689-1755)

• Separation of powers (legislative, executive, and judicial). Break up power into different branches so no one gets too much power, and cause the other branches can keep them in check. Inspired the American government.

• MAIN THING: Separation of power. “There is no greater tyranny than that which is perpetrated under the shield of the law and in the name of justice.”

Voltaire (1694-1778)

• The purpose of life isn’t to reach heaven, it’s to be happy through scientific and artistic progress. Separation of church and state. Religious toleration. Human rights (no torture or useless punishments).

• MAIN THING: Everyone should be happy and chill. No suffering. “God gave us life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.” 

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)

• Social contract between the government and it’s people. Government should express the will of its people and allow them to have individual rights. Laws are made by civilians. Let kids be kids, give them education (not woman or people of color though).

• MAIN THING: Social contract. Citizens help shape the government. Let kids be kids. “Man is born free and everywhere he is in chains.”