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Religion and the Scientific Revolution

Religion and the Scientific Revolution . Readings: Spodek, pps. 526-531. Aristotle/Ptolemy Universe. Medieval Universe. Sixteenth Century . Collapse of Certainties Islamic conquest of Constantinople Discovery of New World Protestantism—no religious certainty

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Religion and the Scientific Revolution

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  1. Religion and the Scientific Revolution Readings: Spodek, pps. 526-531

  2. Aristotle/Ptolemy Universe

  3. Medieval Universe

  4. Sixteenth Century • Collapse of Certainties • Islamic conquest of Constantinople • Discovery of New World • Protestantism—no religious certainty • Skepticism; Question Everything

  5. Calendar Problem and the Gregorian Calendar of 1582 • Different calendars in use in different parts of world • Pope Gregory XIII – couldn’t figure out when Easter ought to be any more (1st Sunday after the 1st full moon after the Vernal Equinox) • Needed to fix calendar – based on movements of moon or sun

  6. Nicolas Copernicus • Polish Clergyman • Cracow • Italy • Idea that God must do things in the simplest way! • Contribution: Hypothesis

  7. Tycho Brahe (1546-1601) • Danish Nobleman • Assisted by sister Sophie • Built Observatory • Observed new star • Earth fixed at center • Sun, Moon around the earth. • Contribution: Data

  8. Sophie Brahe • Chemist, Horticulturist, healer, historian, astronomer • Maybe more systematic than older brother • He wasn’t always convinced that women could do science, but recognized her intelligence

  9. Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) • Worked with Brahe • Liked Simplicity of Copernican Theory • Analyzed Data • Three Laws of Motion were his three theories – mathematical, but main conclusions: • Orbits ellipses • Time it takes to move around the sun related to distance • Contribution: Analyzed data to shed light on hypothesis

  10. Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) • Improved one of first telescopes • Used glasses (first in West, China had them from Song Dynasty) • Experiments dropping things • Contribution: Experiments to Test Theories, Mathematics as Language of Science • Church tried him • Forced to recant ideas • Could only publish in Holland

  11. Trial of Galileo

  12. Sir Francis Bacon • English • Scientific advances will bring social PROGRESS • Establish Progressive Stages of Certainty • Foundation of experimental science • Gather data—through experiments if necessary • Must be repeatable • Contribution: Inductive Method of Science

  13. Rene Descartes (1596-1650) • French Mathematician • Extreme Skeptic • Doubt could be used to produce certainty • Deductive Method • Analytic Geometry • Foundation of theoretical science • Human reason could unlock universe and prove existence of God • Emphasis on human reason irked Church—moved to Holland • Contribution: Deductive Method of science: a+b+c = a+ (b+c) = (b+c) + a = c+(b+a)

  14. Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) • English • Religious • Felt that the order in the universe proved God’s existence. • Developed mathematics of moving bodies: Differential calculus • Laws of Universal Gravitation • Foundation of modern science and social science thought • Contribution: synthesis of “scientific revolution”

  15. Law of Universal Gravitation • Planets and the Earth’s moon move at uniform speeds proportional to their weight and to their distance from the sun • Every body in the universe attracts every other body with a force directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them • This same law explains both motion in the heavens and on earth • So perfect, these rational principles must prove the existence of God • For Newton, little contradiction between human reason and the existence of a Creator/God

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