Chapter 16 Flashcards
Why were medieval scientists limited in their thinking?
Strict theological framework, didn’t question old views, preferred logical analysis to observation.
What impact did the ancient authors and Renaissance artists have on the Scientific Revolution?
learned greek and roman which led them to old works from old philosophers, showed new lines of thinking that differed from medieval ideas, art established studying/observation standards and math skills to show accurate proportions
How did technology and mathematics lead to science?
Math helped with trading and navigational technology, invention of telescope and microscope, printing press spread ideas, math led to military improvements and geography accuracy
How did Renaissance magic influence science?
Idea of finding divinity in humans through mathematical magic to understand the world, distorted nature and increased observation, science revolution main figures were all interested in hermetic ideas.
What was the concept of the universe before the Scientific Revolution?
Geocentric conception from Aristotle, Ptolemy, and Christian theology. Earth was the center and motionless, spheres around it made of crystalline. Earth composed of Earth, fire, water and wind. Circular movement or heavenly bodies which were orbs of light imbedded in the 10 spheres. God lived beyond the 10th sphere where saved souls also went.
Copernicus
Believed in heliocentric-sun centered universe. 8 spheres around the Sun, Earth had daily rotation on axis yearly rotation around the sun. Attacked by the church because he created uncertainty on location of god and human role in the universe.
Brahe
material for Kepler’s work. Built Uraniborg castle with a library and observatory where he studied movement of stars and planets for 20 years. Rejected Aristotelian-Ptolemaic ideas and didn’t agree that the Earth moved. Assistant to Emperor Rudolph II.
Kepler
interested in hermetic mathematical magic. Believed that harmony of the soul could be found in planet’s numerical relationships. Succeeded Brahe and his lab. Confirmed and modified theories of Copernicus. Three laws: elliptical orbit, speed of planet it greater the closer it is to the sun, planets with larger orbits revolve at slower average velocity.
Issac Newton
Invented calculus, investigated composition of light, studied law of gravitation. President of Royal Society. Looked for clues in heavens and elements believed God was “everywhere present” and the force of moving things within the laws he discovered.
Universe Law of Gravitation
Principia written by Newton contained mathematical proofs. Defined mechanics by explaining three laws of motion. Cosmology seen from mechanical viewpoint. World Machine operated absolutely in time, space, and motion.
Galen
Greek physician, used animal dissection to determine human anatomy. Very inaccurate but medieval ideas of anatomy all based on his ideas. Two separate blood systems for arteries and veins. Doctrine of 4 bodily humors. Sickness was a result of imbalanced humors. Often treated by bleeding.
Paracelsus
Bad Temper got angry at people who disagreed with him. View of human as a microcosm and world as a macrocosm. Same chemical reactions in the world in humans just on a smaller scale. Disease caused in specific organs could be fixed by chemical remedies. Idea of “like cures like.” Very effective cured poison with poison. Because of this called “homicide physician”. Forerunner of holistic medicine.
Vesalius
Studied actual human anatomy by observations and dissections. Discovered that blood came from the heart not the liver. Still believed there were 2 blood systems.
Harvey
Heart was the starting point of circulation of one blood system. Dissected humans live to access organ function and digestion. Foundation for modern physiology.
Cavendish
A woman, didn’t believe that humans could be master’s of nature through knowledge. Said that man can never have absolute power over nature.
