Three Traditions in Science Different ways of doing

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Three Traditions in Science Different ways of doing scientific work in the Scientific Revolution

Three Traditions in Science Different ways of doing scientific work in the Scientific Revolution SC/STS 3760, XVI 1

The Whig Interpretation of History n Seeing (British) history as a battle between n

The Whig Interpretation of History n Seeing (British) history as a battle between n the progressive, forward-looking Whigs and n the reactionary, backward-looking Tories. SC/STS 3760, XVI 2

Herbert Butterfield n The Whig Interpretation of History n London, 1931. n Butterfield showed

Herbert Butterfield n The Whig Interpretation of History n London, 1931. n Butterfield showed that the “whig interpretation” was a fundamental problem in writing political history. SC/STS 3760, XVI 3

The Whig Interpretation of Science n The same flaw occurred in writing the history

The Whig Interpretation of Science n The same flaw occurred in writing the history of science. n Even more acute in the history of science because of the inevitable conclusion that present day science is right and past science was wrong. SC/STS 3760, XVI 4

Hugh Kearney n Science and Change, 1500 -1700. n New York, 1971. n An

Hugh Kearney n Science and Change, 1500 -1700. n New York, 1971. n An attempt to combat a whig interpretation of the scientific revolution. SC/STS 3760, XVI 5

Kearney’s Three Traditions in Science n The Organic. SC/STS 3760, XVI The Magical. The

Kearney’s Three Traditions in Science n The Organic. SC/STS 3760, XVI The Magical. The Mechanist. 6

The Organic Viewpoint n Common sense. n Empirical. n Coherent and logical. n The

The Organic Viewpoint n Common sense. n Empirical. n Coherent and logical. n The goal was to explain the purpose (why) of something in nature. n Focus on cycles. n n Life cycles. n Generation and corruption. Planetary cycles. n Ignored accident. SC/STS 3760, XVI 7

The Organic Tradition in Antiquity n Aristotle n Biological interests n History of Animals

The Organic Tradition in Antiquity n Aristotle n Biological interests n History of Animals n Purpose the ultimate cause n Ptolemy n Cycles of the planets and the heavens n Galen n Physiology SC/STS 3760, XVI 8

The Organic Tradition in the Middle Ages n Dominated the Middle Ages and the

The Organic Tradition in the Middle Ages n Dominated the Middle Ages and the early Renaissance, especially in Europe. n Scholasticism, 14 th century. n William of Ockham, Ockham’s Razor. SC/STS 3760, XVI 9

Padua in the 15 th and 16 th century n Andreas Vesalius n De

Padua in the 15 th and 16 th century n Andreas Vesalius n De Fabrica, 1543 SC/STS 3760, XVI n William Harvey n De Motu Cordis, 1628 10

The Organic Tradition in the Scientific Revolution n Spokesman: Francis Bacon (1561 -1626) n

The Organic Tradition in the Scientific Revolution n Spokesman: Francis Bacon (1561 -1626) n Popularized experiment (i. e. observation). n Criticized acceptance of authority. n Science as induction from particulars. n Ignored mathematics. SC/STS 3760, XVI Title page of Bacon’s Great Instauration 11

Bacon’s “Idols” n Idols of the Tribe n Limitations because we are human—feeble, poor

Bacon’s “Idols” n Idols of the Tribe n Limitations because we are human—feeble, poor eyesight, sense of touch, etc. These handicapped in understanding nature. n Idols of the Den n Limitations due to education and society— preconditions, biases, blindspots. n Idols of the Theatre n Limitations of philolsophical systems that circumscribe and control human thought. n Idols of the Market Place n Limitations and ambiguities imposed by words and language used for communication. SC/STS 3760, XVI 12

The Magical Viewpoint n The search for secrets. n Solving the riddle of nature.

The Magical Viewpoint n The search for secrets. n Solving the riddle of nature. n Hidden structures, forces. n Magical powers. n The scientist as wizard, sorcerer, high priest, soothsayer. SC/STS 3760, XVI 13

The Magical Tradition in Antiquity n Pythagoras n Number magic n Secretive cult n

The Magical Tradition in Antiquity n Pythagoras n Number magic n Secretive cult n Plato n Upper part of the Divided Line n Mathematics the key to higher understanding. SC/STS 3760, XVI 14

The Magical Tradition in Antiquity, 2 n Hermes Trismegistus n A mythical figure. n

The Magical Tradition in Antiquity, 2 n Hermes Trismegistus n A mythical figure. n Held that the Sun was God, or a symbol of God. n Light, the source of life. n Mathematical harmony in the cosmos. SC/STS 3760, XVI 15

The Magical Tradition in the Middle Ages and Renaissance n The Magical Tradition has

The Magical Tradition in the Middle Ages and Renaissance n The Magical Tradition has never dominated, but has never been totally ignored. n Neoplatonism. n Hermeticism. n Alchemy. n Astrology. SC/STS 3760, XVI 16

The Magical Tradition viewed as out of touch n A painting by Pieter Breughel,

The Magical Tradition viewed as out of touch n A painting by Pieter Breughel, the Elder, showing alchemists as irresponsible and oblivious to the outside world. SC/STS 3760, XVI 17

The Magical Tradition in the Scientific Revolution n Copernicus n The Sun the centre

The Magical Tradition in the Scientific Revolution n Copernicus n The Sun the centre of the universe and the source of all life n Mathematics is for mathematicians. n Mathematical harmony trumps common sense. n Giordano Bruno n The infinity of worlds. n The universe is magical. SC/STS 3760, XVI 18

The Magical Tradition in the Scientific Revolution, 2 n William Gilbert n On the

The Magical Tradition in the Scientific Revolution, 2 n William Gilbert n On the Magnet. n Action at a distance. n Paracelsus n The human body as a microcosm n Iatrochemistry. n Johannes Kepler n Mathematical relationships are the ultimate secrets of the universe. SC/STS 3760, XVI 19

The Mechanist Viewpoint n The world is (like) a machine. n Understand the world

The Mechanist Viewpoint n The world is (like) a machine. n Understand the world through analogies to machines. n Everything to be explained by combinations of pushes and pulls. n No hidden forces or mysterious influences. n Emphasis on “how” – not “why. ” SC/STS 3760, XVI 20

The Mechanist Tradition in Antiquity and the Middle Ages n Archimedes n Levers, pulleys,

The Mechanist Tradition in Antiquity and the Middle Ages n Archimedes n Levers, pulleys, floating bodies, ingenious machines. n Archimedes asked how does it work? SC/STS 3760, XVI 21

The Mechanist Tradition in Antiquity and the Middle Ages, 2 n In the Middle

The Mechanist Tradition in Antiquity and the Middle Ages, 2 n In the Middle Ages n Craftsmen, builders of windmills, waterwheels, devices of all sorts. n What later became “engineers. ” A water wheel operating a bellows SC/STS 3760, XVI 22

The Mechanist Tradition in the Scientific Revolution n Niccolo Tartaglia n Cannonball trajectory. n

The Mechanist Tradition in the Scientific Revolution n Niccolo Tartaglia n Cannonball trajectory. n Translated Archimedes and Euclid. SC/STS 3760, XVI 23

The Mechanist Tradition in the Scientific Revolution, 2 n Galileo n Simplify problem, make

The Mechanist Tradition in the Scientific Revolution, 2 n Galileo n Simplify problem, make model, find mechanism. n Describe mathematically n Avoid system building SC/STS 3760, XVI 24

The Mechanist Tradition in the Scientific Revolution, 3 n René Descartes n Forces are

The Mechanist Tradition in the Scientific Revolution, 3 n René Descartes n Forces are occult SC/STS 3760, XVI 25

The Mechanist Tradition in the Scientific Revolution, 4 n Evangelista Toricelli and Blaise Pascal

The Mechanist Tradition in the Scientific Revolution, 4 n Evangelista Toricelli and Blaise Pascal n Atmospheric pressure and the barometer n The Puy de Dôme experiment, carrying a barometer up the mountain and noting the fall in atmospheric pressure—the sea of air. n Robert Boyle n Measurement in chemistry n Boyle’s law, PV=K SC/STS 3760, XVI 26

The Mechanist Tradition in the Scientific Revolution, 5 n The Royal Society of London

The Mechanist Tradition in the Scientific Revolution, 5 n The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge n Founded in 1662 n Patron, Charles II n Founded on Baconian precepts (build knowledge from observation), members became later committed to the mechanist viewpoint. SC/STS 3760, XVI 27

The Genius of Isaac Newton n Newton combined the mechanist and the magical viewpoints.

The Genius of Isaac Newton n Newton combined the mechanist and the magical viewpoints. SC/STS 3760, XVI 28

The clockwork universe—that needed winding up and resetting n The world operates as a

The clockwork universe—that needed winding up and resetting n The world operates as a vast machine – the “clockwork universe. ” n n n God (a supernatural and definitely not mechanical force) made things work when the mechanism failed. The Universe is a riddle. Gravity is action at a distance. SC/STS 3760, XVI 29

At the end of the Scientific Revolution n Mechanism triumphs. n The Organic viewpoint

At the end of the Scientific Revolution n Mechanism triumphs. n The Organic viewpoint is in disrepute. n The incompatibility of the Magical and the Mechanist views are forgotten or ignored. n Mathematics is accepted as the language of science. n The mechanical model is accepted as the ultimate explanation. SC/STS 3760, XVI 30

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