Notes On The Scientifi Revolution

Scientific Revolution Origins: Antiquity: Arist. -- physics, Ptolemy - astron, Galen - medicine most dramatic advances in these fields must account 4 new observations i.e. Arist. & arrow, Ptol & movement some planets, Galen & dissections “Magic” alchemy: matter trans ----> other matter Paracelsus: metals medicinal, i.e. mercury & syphilis astrology: predictions based on planets **World could be understood Supp by NeoPlatonism, other mystical ideas: i.e. Jewish cabala + new attention 2 Pythagoras univ = magical arrang #s New interest in new & simple solutions ---> capabilities to discard old, seek new ---> intellectual revolution Other Influences 1) technological invention: i.e. telescope, vacuum pump, therm., barom., microsc encouraged scientific approach pioneered by Bacon * in order nature reveal secrets, it had to be made to do things it did not want to do normally --- “twist the lion’s tail” 2) interest in experiments anatomists 1542: Anatomy & Astronomy Vesalius: Structure of the Human Body Copernicus (1473-1543) Polish Ptolemy: crystalline spheres revolved around earth: geocentric - all circular, irreg expl by epicycles (sm revolv spheres att to larg) Copernicus said: “too complex” So...set out to provide simpler picture: sun @ center orderly, harmonious univ. - heliocentric (in reality not simpler) On the Revolution of the Heavenly Spheres Problem: demonstration ideas ---> Gregorian calendar: 1582 Tycho Brahe (1546-1601) Danish (gold & silver nose!) built observatory data: plotted moon & planets ---> uneasy compromise Ptol/Copern planets around sun...planets and sun and earth and moon????? prob because did not want 2 supp. Copern theory Johnnes Kepler (1571-1630) German mathematician, astrologer, advocate magic theories believed Copern....studied Brahe 3 Laws of Planetary Motion 1) orbits = ellipses 2) planets not move @ uniform speed in orbits Sci Rev Notes

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3) regularity movement based on dist to sun (--> idea of univ gravitation) *ideas used by Newton 50 yrs later.... Galileo (1564-1642) Italian (math prof age 25) planetary motion & motion on earth observation + math + physics methods of investigation ---> simil modern scientist from observations --> abstraction(imagin sit not creatable in exper) & arrive @ principle inertia inertia: obj continues in motion 4ever unless stopped by external force But did do experiments! acceleration experiment: uniform force prod unif. acceleration Applied experimental methos to Astronomy w/telescope: Jupiter had moons, earth’s moon had mountains ther4 not embedded in crystalline spheres! No more immutable, unblemished heavens! Earth physics could be used to explain heavenly physics: earth simply prt of unif univ **Trad. & theological worldview now crumbling & a new approach of critical, scientific method had arrived! i.e. why say univ revolved around earth when all celestial motion expl by rotation/revolution of single planet? Conflict w/Church allowed to write about diff poss wld sys as long as didn’t presume to judge which actually existed. Dialogue on the Two Great World Systems 1632 openly lampooned trad. views Arist/Ptol written 4 wide audience (dialogue & in Italian) 1635 tried by Inquisition 4 heresy forced to recant “errors and heresies” legend says Galileo muttered....”but they do move” trial became symbol of inevitable conflict relig belief & scientific knowledge **Legacy: By 1630’s: no self respecting astronomer could deny validity of Copern Man had progressed from bewilderment ---> level of certainty re: physical world Isaac Newton (1642-1727) English imp contrib --> math, physics, astron, optics physics + astron = single sys expl all motion united experimental w/theoretical-mathematical dev calculus (parallel dev by Leibnitz) estab basic laws of mod physics Research motivated by participation in Royal Society of London whereas Copern in isolation Principia (1687) Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy seeking to refute Descartes app to science (Descartes: pwr of mind/pure reason in investig. nature) Newton felt mere hypoth, constructions of logic & words, NOT tools of scientist Sci Rev Notes

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“Hypotheses non fingo” ( I do not posit hypoth) everything proved by experiment/mathematics Motion: 3 Laws 1) absence of force - motion in a straight line 2) rate of change of motion due to forces acting upon: i.e. friction 3) action & reaction are equal & opposite df concepts: mass, inertia & force in relation 2 velocity&accel as we know today Laws extended to entire universe: bal btwn gravity of earth’s pull & forward motion of moon = elliptical orbit, neither gravity or inertia prevail Integrated astron of Copern as corrected by Kepler...w/physics of Galileo & predecessors “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” Legacy Newton: Newton’s descrip of uniformity/systematic impersonal forces ---> view of univ as vast machine all motion result of precise, unvarying, demonstrable forces ther4....not far to belief in God as great watchmaker: only intervenes when something wrong, needs repair Alexander Pope: “Nature and Nature’s law lay hid in night; God said, ‘Let Newton be!’ and all was light.” General impression for many yrs to come....Newton had done it all New Epistemology A new theory of how to obtain & verify knowledge stressed experience, reason & doubt reject’d unsubstantiated authority new discoveries = independent value not rely on trad considerations (i.e common sense) or theology to interfere hypoth --> observations --> generalizations(valid unless contrad. by experim) --> experimentation measurement = key to strict observations (data) NOT subjective ther4 lang of science came to be mathematics Yet...rarely reached conclusions in exact format described experiments & hypoth can occur in mind Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) French voice of protest mid 17th C vs. in partic. materialism of Descartes probability theorem, conic sect. ---> integral calculus barometric pressure, calculating machine.... contact w/ Jansenism (not popular): salvation entirely God’s unswerving faith = only path 1654 Nov - myst. exper. = devote life to salvation Pensées: published post mortem (“Reflections”) deeply religious Sci Rev Notes

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anxieties of scientist: feared growing influence of science “The heart has its reasons that reason cannot know.” warning vs. replacing trad understanding of humanity & destiny w/conclusions of scientists separation of spiritual/material = fatal - would destroy import/primacy of the spiritual Science Instituionalized coop, share info....Rome = 1st sci society 1603, then France, England Royal Society: 1640’s Eng: Civil War: trad natural philos replaced at university - Invisible College: new faculty meetings Robert Boyle: chemist, founder RS 1662 goals: openly Baconian, gather all knowledge re: nature, esp if useful orig goal imposs ---> clearing house 4 research 1665 Philosophical Transactions: 1st prof. science journal imitators: 1666 Louis XIV: Fr. Acad Sciences 1700 Naples, Berlin membership: limited, coveted glamour 4 scientific studies, grtly admired By 1660’s science secure in royal patronage: model 4 all thought Wider Appeal Science Descartes: apply science to philos Bacon: put scientific ideas @ service social thought Sci ideas reached all levels even aristocrats played @ science gen pop fascinated ( i.e. Holland: public anatomy sessions well attended) Reverence 4 science not based on understanding it rather fame of spectacular discoveries offerings of new/convincing solutions ***A promise of certainty and order vs. conflict and doubt Like the science topic and history? Read the Baroque Cycle by Neal Stephenson.

Sci Rev Notes

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