the scientific revolution and the enlightenment

What was the Enlightenment Period?

A period where reason was applied in guiding people's thoughts about philosophy, society and politics.

According to Francis Bacon, what does it take to reach the truth on a subject matter?

Bacon argued that truth could not be known at the beginning of a question, but only at the end after a long process of investigation.

Who was Johannes Kepler? What did he believe about the Universe? How did he reach these conclusions?

Kepler was Brahe's assistant, he was a German astronomer and mathematician. His conclusions supported Copernicus' heliocentric theory. His calculations also showed that the planets moved in an oval like shaped orbit.

Who was Sir Isaac Newton? What did he believe about the Universe? How did he reach these conclusions?

Newton was an English scholar who built upon the work of Copernicus and Galileo. Newton was the most influential scientists of the Scientific Revolution. He also used math to prove the existence of gravity.

How did the Catholic Church respond to Galileo's ideas? Why was the Catholic Church so aggressive in their attacks on Galileo?

The Church came after Galileo because they claimed that the earth was fixed and unmoving. When he was threatened with death in 1633, Galileo recanted his views. Galileo was put under house arrest and wasn't allowed to recant his views.

Name any two scientists from the Scientific Revolution and explain their contributions to science.

William Harvey: He was an English scholar who described the circulation of blood for the first time. He showed how the heart served as a pump to force blood through veins and arteries. Andreas Vesalius: In 1543, Vesalius published " On the structure of the human body". His book was the first accurate and detailed book on human anatomy.

Who was Copernicus? What did he believe about the Universe? How did he reach these conclusions?

Copernicus was a Polish astronomer who studied in Italy. He believed that the sun was in the middle, the universe is heliocentric. He used mathematical formulas to come to this conclusion.

According to Rene Descartes, what does it take to reach the truth on a subject matter?

Descartes believed that truth was only found after the long process of investigation.

Who was Galileo Galilei? What did he believe about the Universe? How did he reach these conclusions?

Galileo was an Italian astronomer who built upon the scientific foundations laid by Copernicus and Kepler. Galileo assembled the first telescope which allowed him to see the mountains on the moon and the fiery spots on the sun. He also observed four moons orbiting around jupiter exactly the way Copernicus said the earth revolved around the sun. He also discovered that objects fall at the same speed regardless of their weight.

What is the Scientific Method? Why does this approach to understanding why things happen in nature matter?

The Scientific Method is a method used to confirm findings and to prove or disprove a hypothesis. Scientists observed nature and made a hypothesis and then tested these hypothesis through experiments.

What was the Scientific Revolution? How is it connected to the spirit of the Renaissance?

The Scientific Revolution changed the way that Europeans looked at the world. People began to make conclusions based on experimentation and observation, and reason instead of merely accepting traditional ideas.

How did Galileo respond to the Catholic Church's actions towards him? Why do you think Galileo decides to respond in this way?

Well he was forced to recant his views which could either show that he himself didn't believe in his ideas or that he knew his ideas were correct so he didn't care if what had been taught for many years was still reinforced even though his ideas were correct. I think that he knew his ideas were correct and he didn't care what the church thought and the consequence of recanting his ideas vs. death made more sense to him.