The Scientific
Revolution
Mrs. Watson
Kraemer Middle School
2010
The
Reformation
Scientific
Revolution
The
Renaissance
Exploration
Enlightenment
Science from the Past
 Ancient Greeks left
lots of knowledge
 Ptolemy’s
Geo-centric Theory
of the universe
 They did not
experiment or test
theories
http://www.wwu.edu/depts/skywise/history/ptolemy.jpg
New Ways of Thinking
 Humanists wanted to
understand the world
based on science and
reason
 Challenged old ideas &
assumptions
http://www.aliens-everything-you-want-to-know.com/image-files/copernicus.jpg
Astronomy
 Scientists challenged the Church teaching
that God had created the universe with Earth
at the center (geo-centric)
 Nicolaus Copernicus – Heliocentric Theory
(1543) – sun in the center

The Church opposed Copernicus & his ideas
• The Bible said the Earth stood still at the center of the
universe
• Copernicus was challenging the teachings of the Bible

The work of Copernicus was later supported by
Galileo
Problems for Galileo



Galileo invented a
thermometer & barometer,
and proved a heliocentric
theory of the universe
Published his work in 1632
& was condemned by the
Church
The pope had Galileo tried
for heresy



House arrest for life
Did recant some ideas
Changed the way people
thought about the world
*Knowledge based on observation!
http://abagond.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/650px-galileo-sustermans.jpg
Sir Isaac Newton
 The father of modern
physics (energy,
matter)
 Universal law of
Gravity:


Gravity holds the solar
system together;
Keeps the planets &
stars in orbit
http://jpsi.ma.psu.edu/~mad10/astro001.html
Medicine


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http://www.nauba-aloke-bangla.com/EBook/Projukti-o-Biggan/top100/andreas-vesalius.jpg
In medieval times,
dissection of humans was
not allowed
Andreas Vesalius – began
dissecting dead human
bodies to learn how the
body worked inside; father
of anatomy
Robert Hooke – used a
microscope to discover
cells
The Scientific Method



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Francis Bacon – did not
accept any ideas based on
tradition
Wanted a process to
collect and analyze
evidence in a rational way
Hypothesis, then
experimentation &
observation to test that
idea
The Scientific Method
http://humphrysfamilytree.com/Cooke/sir.francis.bacon.html
Science & Religion
 The Scientific Revolution led people to rely
more on reason than faith

Diminished Church power
 Many scientists believed that God created
the universe w/mathematical principles &
laws
 Science could not exist unless God
created it
 Science & Religion could co-exist
Review Questions:
1.Why was it important for scientists to challenge
the assumptions and knowledge of the past?
2. Why was Galileo punished for heresy?
3. How could scientists still have faith in God
while demanding evidence and proof for
explaining the natural world? Explain.