Scientific revolution Flashcards
Galileo suggested a new method for science. Very briefly explain his method.
-Galileo suggested a combination of mathematical reason and quantifiable observation.
-When you look at the world around you, you can distinguish between two types of qualities or properties
-Primary Qualities - There are qualities of object which are independent of any mind (mass, time, place)
-Secondary Qualities - There are qualities of object which exist only if there is a perceiver
-Galileo announced task of science is to focus on primary qualities
-Galileo argues that the physical aspects are the only ones that matter because mental and mind are relative and it is difficult to quantify
Some historians claim that Galileo changed the main question in science from why to how. What does it mean? Explain it.
-Galileo wanted an explanation for things in terms of how they are possible rather than why they exist.
As a part of his metaphysical assumptions, Galileo used three major categories to conceptualize nature. Name those categories.
mass, time, place
-Mass = particle that is located in time and place
-Physical arrangement of these particles changes
-This arrangement is called motion
Motion (Galileo) Bodies of mass that can rearrange its location in time and space
Explain the difference between primary and secondary qualities, from Galileo’s perspective. Why is this distinction significant in modern science? Explain it.
-Primary qualities (mass, time, place): There are qualities of object which are independent of any mind
-Secondary qualities (Color, taste, temperature): There are qualities of object which exist only If there is a perceiver
-Galileo says science focuses on primary qualities/physical properties because they are quantifiable, you can attribute numbers to them, you can measure them.
-Modern concept of science is two things: quantifiable observation + mathematics
What is Hume’s view on causality as a necessary connection between a cause and its effect? Explain why he adopted this view.
Any time you have the cause you have the effect
1) There is a relation of causality between C and E
2) this relation is necessary (it is impossible to have fire without burning)
What is the problem of induction from Hume’s perspective?
-No physical representation of causality, can’t know it because we can’t see it, nothing in external world to represent it
-Causality is a habit of mind, since every time we saw fire and we saw burning we associated them in our mind, so causality is not something real.
-Now there’s no reason to believe future resembles past, therefore we have no reason to trust inductive reason, puts modern science in trouble
Russel’s story:
-There was a chicken and every morning a guy brought it food, Happens every day, One day chicken talking to a friend and says the guy will bring her food today, Guy grabs chicken and kills to eat
What is the difference between the phenomenon and noumenon, from Kant’s perspective? Which one is the realm in which science works?
-Realm of phenomenon: things as they appear to mind, a representation of the mind in which space, time and causality define the perceptions.
-Noumenon: things in themselves, not accessible to us
-Leads to phenomenology- we only have access to the realm of phenomena, things as they appear to us
-Science works with the realm of phenomenon.
