Scientific Revolution 16 th and 17 th Centuries

Scientific Revolution 16 th and 17 th Centuries

The Scientific Revolution • Re-examining and re- thinking theories from the past • Blending of older knowledge and new discoveries • Not a formal science until late 17 th century • Natural philosophy • Most who studied sciences worked in universities or in the court of a prince

Mechanism • Impacted all philosophers of the time • Used mechanical metaphors or language of machinery to explain the world • Abandoned ideas of spiritual purpose and mystery in nature • God= mechanic, arranged the world as a machine that would function automatically • Increased emphasis on mathematics • A switch from symbolic meaning to an emphasis on the usefulness of nature

A Need for Institutions • Some scholars wanted to preserve ideas of ancient thought- reluctant to embrace new ideas • Many “new” scholars felt the need for reforms in educational institutions • Assimilation of new ideas was slow and disjointed

Royal Academy of Sciences, Paris

Institutes of Sharing • Places where ideas would be gathered, exchanged, and debated • Listened to papers, observed experiments, created libraries, published information • Experiments received credibility • Separated natural philosophy from religious and political disputes • Promoted civility- attracted people to their ideas

Zoology & Biology A dissection at the Royal Academy, London

Science and Government • Scientists used info and skills from a variety of people within the community – Craftspeople, sailors, workers • Natural philosophers improved production, navigation, and military artillery

Women and the Scientific Revolution • Women had been excluded from intellectual life • Denied membership in societies • Noblewoman and women from artisan class- had the most rights • Work was often credited to their male counterpart • Believed that women’s minds were dif. And inferior to male’s

Science and Religion • Theories and discoveries went against biblical statements about the heavens • Who would decide conflicts between religion and science – Church authorities or natural philosophers • New science seemed to replace religion

The Solutions • Scientists’ thought showed their support of religious ideals • Science and religion are compatible- mutually supportive • New ideas of science and religion could solve religious disputes • New ideas are a part of a divine plan • God put humans on earth to understand it • Humans were meant to improve the world through rational though

Witch-Hunts • New ideas cause anxieties about death, sin, and the devil • Believed in magic • 1400 -1700= ~100, 000 people killed for magic and witchcraft • Witches accused of cannibalism, performing rituals, harming neighbors and attending sabbats – Large meetings where they flew

Why Witch-Hunts • Religious conflicts and warfare • Reformation- took away traditional defense against devil • Monarchs and popes acceptance in order to gain loyalty

Origins of Witch-Hunts • History of “witches” helping people deal with disasters through magic • Mostly old, poor single, or widowed women • A way of opposing Christian society’s demands on the countryside • Peoples belief in magical power fostered witch-hunts

Clergy and Witchcraft • Clergy also claimed certain “magical” powers – Eucharist, penance/confession, power to cast out demons • Church’s magic= only magic • Those who practiced magic outside of the church were under the influence of the devil • Witch-hunts- a way for govt. and church to have political and religious control over a community

About a Witch • Mostly women over 40 • Could’ve been a conspiracy of males against females • Mostly from three groups – Widows, midwives, and women healers

An End to Hunting • Mind and matter- two separate realities – Thoughts in mind or words spoken can’t alter physical things • A witch’s curse was only words • Increase in medicine and lawyers= new security • Things just got out of control – Tortured witches accused community and church leaders of practicing witchcraft so it backfired on them

Baroque Art • 17 th century painting, sculpture, and architecture • Naturalistic, rather than idealized • Contrasts between light and dark • Theatrical and emotionally involved with the subject • Associated with Roman Catholicism and absolutist politics

Gian Lorenzo Bernini

Peter Paul Rubens

Versailles

Louis Le. Nain

Michelangelo Caravaggio