The Scientific Revolutionca 1540-1690

AP European History

Androstic

2012-2013

Before 17th century… science done by trial and error Little communication between “scientists” Isolated geniuses (example: da Vinci) Deductive method used Science aligned with religious beliefs “age of charlatans” (Nostradamus)

Isolated GeniusLeonardo da Vinci

Engineer and scientistWorks not publishedKnown for artNotebooks discovered-20th century

(1452-1519)

Deductive Reasoning Drawing logical

implications from what we already know

Caps learning at what we thought at the beginning

Age of Charlatans Mixed magic and valid

science Made wild predictions,

often unintelligible to future generations

Kings still kept astrologers on staff

Nostradamus (1503-1566)

After 17th century… Science becomes modern, systemized,

organized Science popularized Science plays major role in other domains Changed relationship between God and man Increasing skepticism

Skepticism Developing – end of

16th c. All beliefs are

essentially customs No way for humans to

prove anything “Que sais-je?” Led to theories of

Descartes and BaconMichel de Montaigne

(1533-1592)

Francis Bacon/Rene Descartes

Rene Descartes(1596-1650)

Francis Bacon(1561-1626)

Francis Bacon/Rene DescartesSimilarities:Questioned if humans could know anything about the world with certaintyConsidered philosophies of the past worthlessCriticized ancient books and deductive methodBelieved truth comes after experimentation, not before

Francis Bacon encouraged use of empiricism and inductive

method (Novum Organum) Insisted that true knowledge was useful

knowledge (The Advancement of Learning) envisioned scientific utopia – inhabitants

enjoyed perfect society through knowledge/command of nature (The New Atlantis)

Inductive vs. Deductive

Rene Descartes Mathematician (invented coordinate

geometry) Created idea that nature could be expressed

mathematically Tried to doubt everything to clear the slate for

new understanding Concluded “cogito ergo sum” Established “Cartesian dualism”

Francis Bacon and Rene Descartes, used observation (and in Descartes case,

mathematics) to create a new system or acquiring information. These contributions

led to the development of the scientific method as we know it, the scientific

revolution, and science applied to the real world domains to produce a more progressive

society.