TOWARD A NEW HEAVAN AND A NEW EARTH: THE SCIENTIFIC

REVOLUTION AND THE EMERGENCE OF MODERN SCIENCE

Aristotle and Galen – key ancient thinkers who examined the physical world

Natural philosophers = medieval scientists

Medieval scientists based their work –1. strict theological framework2. a few ancient authorities

Renaissance Humanists – mastered Greek and Latin language -> Galen, Ptolemy, Archimedes, Plato, and pre-socratics

Humanists discovered new ancient texts by Galen and Aristotle

Renaissance artists impacted Sci. Rev. –

1. observation of nature

2. use of perspective and math in painting

3. proper understanding of human anatomy

Technical problems

Emphasis on practical over theoretical knowledge

Printing press -> spread ideas quickly and easily

Mathematics – military sci., navigation, geography

Leonardo da Vinci – nature is inherently mathematical and it provided certainty

1. Hermetic magic = the world is divine, we are part of the divine -> we can tap in and control the world

2. Alchemy = changing substances -> stuff into gold

3. Astrology = position of stars -> influences our lives

4. Numerology = numbers have secrets

5. Use magic to control and dominate nature

6. All giants of the sci. rev. studied magic

ASTRONOMY

MECHANICS/PHYSICS

MEDICINE

A synthesis of

1. Aristotle

2. Ptolemy

3. Christian theology

1. Earth centered2. Series of 10 concentric spheres3. Crystalline/transparent sphere4. Perfect circular rotation5. Heavenly bodies were orbs of embedded

in moving spheres6. Beyond the 10th sphere = the kingdom of

god/heaven7. Man is at the center + god is in his place

Polish astronomer Author of - On the Revolution of the Heavenly

Spheres Published his book in 1453 -> waited until he

was on his deathbed to publish -> fear of consequences

Copernican conception = heliocentric/sun centered

Copernican cosmos -> created uncertainty about man’s role in the universe and God’s location

Protestants were first to attack the new idea Catholic church remained silent until Galileo in

1610