The “Scientific The “Scientific Revolution”Revolution”

The Modernist Fairy-TaleThe Modernist Fairy-Tale

►Middle Ages contributed nothing to Middle Ages contributed nothing to sciencescience Superstition reignedSuperstition reigned People were stupidPeople were stupid

►As society became more secular and As society became more secular and rational, scientific knowledge increasedrational, scientific knowledge increased

►There is an inherent conflict between There is an inherent conflict between science and Christianityscience and Christianity

In Reality . . .In Reality . . .

►The Middle Ages did have scientific The Middle Ages did have scientific advancesadvances

►Through the 19Through the 19thth century, almost all century, almost all scientists were professing Christiansscientists were professing Christians

►Christianity provided a necessary Christianity provided a necessary incubator for scienceincubator for science Theology of dominion (nature good, not a Theology of dominion (nature good, not a

god)god) Orderly God, orderly universeOrderly God, orderly universe God’s creation God’s creation ex nihiloex nihilo means precision means precision

Impetus for the RevolutionImpetus for the Revolution

►Question: If secularization wasn’t the Question: If secularization wasn’t the driving force, what was?driving force, what was?

►Answer: the conflict between different Answer: the conflict between different ancient philosophies, all interpreted ancient philosophies, all interpreted ChristianlyChristianly AristotelianismAristotelianism PlatonismPlatonism MechanismMechanism

Nicolas Copernicus (1473-Nicolas Copernicus (1473-1543)1543)

► Platonist dissatisfied Platonist dissatisfied with Aristotelian with Aristotelian geocentric theorygeocentric theory

► Proposed Proposed heliocentric model heliocentric model in in On the On the Revolutions of the Revolutions of the Heavenly SpheresHeavenly Spheres

► A mathematically A mathematically simpler modelsimpler model

Other CopernicansOther Copernicans

►Tycho Brahe (1546-1601)—made Tycho Brahe (1546-1601)—made precise observations of planetary precise observations of planetary movementsmovements

► Johannes Kepler (1571-1630)Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) Brahe’s studentBrahe’s student Further simplified Copernicus’s model Further simplified Copernicus’s model

(elliptical orbits, etc.)(elliptical orbits, etc.) Three Laws of Planetary MotionThree Laws of Planetary Motion

Physics: Galileo GalileiPhysics: Galileo Galilei

► 1564-16421564-1642►MechanistMechanist►Mathematical laws Mathematical laws

govern all physical govern all physical bodies (incl. planets)bodies (incl. planets)

►Heresy trial: a martyr Heresy trial: a martyr for science? (G.G. for science? (G.G. made dogmatic, made dogmatic, unsubstantiated unsubstantiated claims too)claims too)

Copernican ImpactCopernican Impact

► Popular secular theory: Copernicus Popular secular theory: Copernicus weakened Christianityweakened Christianity If earth is the center, humans are specialIf earth is the center, humans are special If not, we’re not important; where is God?If not, we’re not important; where is God? So the geocentric theory is a moral crutchSo the geocentric theory is a moral crutch

► Actually, Copernicus provided the crutch Actually, Copernicus provided the crutch To medieval mind the center is the worst placeTo medieval mind the center is the worst place Drifting Earth and no God means no Drifting Earth and no God means no

accountability; humans can make their own rulesaccountability; humans can make their own rules

Physics: Isaac NewtonPhysics: Isaac Newton

► 1642-17271642-1727► SynthesisSynthesis

Kepler and GalileoKepler and Galileo Platonism and Platonism and

mechanismmechanism

► Discovered calculusDiscovered calculus► Theory of GravityTheory of Gravity► OpticsOptics► Three Laws of Motion Three Laws of Motion

(inertia, acceleration, (inertia, acceleration, action-reaction)action-reaction)

New MethodologiesNew Methodologies

►Francis Bacon(1561-1626)Francis Bacon(1561-1626) Novum OrganumNovum Organum: warnings of “Idols”: warnings of “Idols” Empiricist: inductive approach, Empiricist: inductive approach,

experimentationexperimentation

►Rene Descartes (1596-1650)Rene Descartes (1596-1650) Discourse on MethodDiscourse on Method and deductive reasoning and deductive reasoning Doubt everything, but Doubt everything, but cogito ergo sumcogito ergo sum Proof of God: similarities to Anselm?Proof of God: similarities to Anselm? God’s existence implies the world’s existenceGod’s existence implies the world’s existence

Science and SocietyScience and Society

► Elites embraced Elites embraced sciencescience New institutes, New institutes,

academiesacademies Royal Society Royal Society

► Universe increasingly Universe increasingly seen as a machine seen as a machine instead of an instead of an organismorganism

►Groundwork for new Groundwork for new technology, Ind. Rev.technology, Ind. Rev.