The Scientific Revolution and The Enlightenment-Unit 2

Section 1: New directions in Science

Ancient Greeks: Aristotle taught observation and Logic
Renaissance: Da Vinci and others questioned old ideas as Hindu-Arabic numbers were now used, making calculations easier
The Scientific Method is a 3 step approach: observation, reason to interpret, and use mathematics and/ or reasoning from principals to prove theories
Rene Descartes: emphasized reasoning and advanced the fields of Geometry as well as Philosophy
Nicolaus Copernicus challenged the view of Ptolemy of earth centered universe and used mathematical calculations
Tycho Brahe’s and Johannes Kepler’s further work confirmed and expanded Copernicus’ view (elliptical paths)
Galileo added to information about the Universe and was forced to deny what he said in public because it went against the teachings of the day.
Newton proposes the Law of gravity which states that there is a force of attraction between objects that is related to their mass and increases as the objects move closer to each other. –He also was the one who saw the universe as a large machine that worked under laws
Paracelsus disproved the ancient teaching of Galen that it was impossible to change one substance into another
Vesalius wrote: On the Structure of the Human Body with new drawings
Pare developed way to clean wounds and later stitches
William Harvey learned how the blood circulates through the body

Section 2: Enlightenment Thinkers

· Philosophers used reason to discover the natural laws that governed human behavior

· This time period is called the Age of Reason

· Thomas Hobbes: wrote “Leviathan” in 1651

o No government= Chaos

o Social contract is best

o Give up control for peace

· John Lock: wrote “Two Treatises on Government”

o People had the right to rebel against a ruler who broke the Social Contract

o People had rights of Life, Liberty, and Property

o Government’s responsibility was to protect these rights

· Philosophes in France:

o Believed and expanded on Locke’s views

o Called for: religious tolerance, freedom of belief and press, education, an end of slavery and cruel treatment for criminals, and even humane treatment for the mentally ill.

· Physiocrats:

o Looked for natural laws to explain economics

o Called for a free market without any controls as the best way for all to prosper

· Three views on Government

o Montesquieu wrote “Spirit of Laws”

· Separation of powers among the three branches of government: Legislative, executive, and judicial

· Should create “checks and balances” to keep all equal

o Voltaire (Francois, Marie Arouet)

· “ I do not agree with a word you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it”

· believed the best govt. was an “enlightened Monarch”

o Rousseau wrote “The Social Contract”

· Human nature is good-society corrupts

· Believed in the “noble savage”

· In an ideal society, people could form a contract, without a ruler, and would all give up some freedom for the “general will’

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Section 3: Impact of the Enlightenment

· The ideas spread through discussions, debates, printed articles, newspapers, journals, lectures, songs, and pamphlets

· Diderot (a French Philosophe)-publishes the first encyclopedia with contributions of many of the leading thinkers of the day- was banned by the Catholic Church

· Women held salons, acted as patrons, and a few such as Emilie du Chatelet became doctors and mathematicians

· Some monarchs in Europe accepted these ideas and became known as “Enlightened Monarchs.” Most, however used the ideas to centralize power by reducing the power of the nobles. The social structure still did not really change.

§ Maria Theresa and Joseph II (son) of Austria–abolished serfdom, allowed freedom of the press, banned torture, ended religious persecution, gave equal rights to Jews, and reduced the power of the Catholic Church. (later reversed by their successors)

§ Catherine the Great of Russia –limited reforms

§ Frederick the Great of Prussia –allowed religious freedom and encouraged elementary education

· Artists and architects looked to Ancient Greece for style- trying to have pictures look natural and yet beautiful

· Music:

§ Germans Bach and Handel-late 1600-early 1700s with ornate style

§ Haydn and Mozart in the mid 1700’s-became more simple and elegant-

§ Mozart- a child genius- began composing before 5 years old and played for the Empress at 6. had composed more than 600 pieces of music when he died at 35