Ap European History: Chapter 16 Scientific Revolution Vocab

Francis Bacon

English politician and writer who formulated the empirical method. Was titled Lord Chancellor under James the first and his followers created the Royal Society that met to conduct experiments and discuss findings

Cartesian dualism

Descartes's view that all of reality could ultimately be reduced to mind and matter. God gave man reason to find truths of creation

Nicolaus Copernicus

Determined the sun was the center of the universe. unintentionally called religious beliefs into question because of his hypothesis. Also believed that Ptolemys inaccurate rules detracted from a perfect creator

Rene Descartes

Discovered analytic geometry and developed the idea that matter was made up of identical corpuscles that collided in an endless series of motions. Believed total quantity of motion Was constant and a vacuum was impossible, every action has an equal reaction, later disapproved but provided inspiration. Also developed Cartesian dualism him and notion to use deductive reasoning

Law of inertia

A law formulated by Galileo that states that motion, not rest, is the natural state of an object, and that an object continues in motion forever unless stopped by some external force

Copernican hypothesis

The idea that the sun, not the earth, was the center of the universe

Empiricism

A theory of inductive reasoning that calls for acquiring evidence through observation and experimentation rather then deductive reason and speculation

Natural philosophy

An early modern term for the study of the nature of the universe, its purpose, and how it functioned. It encompassed what we would call "science" today

Gottfried Leibniz

German mathematician and philosopher with whom newton contested the invention of calculus. Outraged at newtons claims that gravity could allow bodies to affect one another at great distances

Aristotle

Greek philosopher of the fourth century who believe the earth was the center of the universe. He distinguish between sub lunar and celestial spheres. His approach ran along side theological teachings and he was later disapproved

Tycho Brahe

Agreed with Copernicus.With Rudolph the second as his patron he pledged to create tables of planetary motions. Believed all planets except earth revolve the sun and both the sun and the planets revolved around earth. Compiled massive data but died before making sense of it.

Johannes Kepler

Brahe's assistant Who discovered elliptical orbits, speed of orbits, and time of Orbits. Proved a sun centered solar system. Completed Rudolphine tables, explained eye refraction, improved telescopes, and believed in astrological principles/horoscopes

Robert Boyle

Helped found modern science of chemistry and under took experiments to discover elements of nature which he believed were composed of Atoms. Created vacuum that disapproved Descartes, issued law that states the pressure of gas varies inversely with volume

Law of universal gravitation

Newtons law that all objects are attracted to one another and that the force of attraction is proportional to the objects quantity of matter and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them

Experimental method

The approach, pioneered by Galileo, that the proper way to explore the workings of the universe was through repeatable experiments rather than speculation

William Harvey

Discovered circulation of blood through veins and arteries. Explain the functions of the heart

Isaac Newton

Laid down three laws of motion and the law of universal gravitation. Wanted to understand the "divine plan" and used both alchemy and mathematics to find the truth

Scientific Revolution

Period of the 17th century that set the foundation of scientific and reasonable thinking. Was not intended to challenge the established social order