Roger Bacon, a Fransiscan scholar from England, put much emphasis on the study of nature through empiricism. He also attacked a lot of earlier scientists' work. Bacon's criticism and work with experimental science marked the beginning of the Scientific Revolution.
The Scientific Revolution
Major devlopments in astronomy, chemistry, mathematics, physics, and biology during the 16th and 17th centuries in Europe helped shape modern science as we know it today and also transformed peoples' ways of thinking about nature and the universe. This is known as the Scientific Revolution.
Ptolemy, known as the father of astronomy, believed in the Geocentric Theory. This theory states that the earth is the center of the universe. In the Renaissance period, people began to question this and the Catholic Church disliked this because the beginning of the Bible (Genesis) mentioned this geocentric theory. If one part of the Bible was proven to be false, many questions may be raised about the rest of the Bible as well.
This model shows the geocentric theory with the Earth being at the center of the universe.
Heliocentric Theory, another theory of the Scientific Revolution, states that the sun is the center of the universe, or at least the center of our solar system. Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) read a lot about ancient Greek theories of a helioentric universe. In 1543, Copernicus published On the Revolution of Heavenly Spheres which inspired many others to expand on astronomical research.
This model shows the heliocentric theory with the Sun being at the center of the universe.
Tycho Brahe (1546-1601) is quite important to the Scientific Revolution as he collected a great deal of data on other planets. Brahe believed that while the moon and the sun revolve around earth, the other planets revovle around the sun.
This model shows Tycho Brahe's theory. Brahe's theory, similar to the heliocentric theory, has the sun at the center of the universe. Brahe believed that the planets revolve around the sun. The difference between Brahe's and Copernicus's theories is that Brahe believed the sun and the moon revolved around the earth.
Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) did work with both Copernicus's and Brahe's theories. He redid their mathematical calculations and came to the conclusion that the orbits are not spherical, they are elliptical (oval).
Quiz
Which of the following did Johannes Kepler NOT propose to be true?
- the planets move in ellipses around the sun
- the planets move at nonuniform speeds
- the velocity of each planet throughout its orbit is directly related to the size of the planet
- the velocity of each planet throughout its orbit is in direct proportion to its distance from the sun at any given moment
Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) used the recent invention of the telescope, specifically one that he invented and improved himself. He used the telescope observed the moon and Jupiter's moons, which led him to theorize that if Jupiter's moons revolve around Jupiter, then not everything revolves around the earth. He also was able to observe the phases of Venus, the rings of Saturn, and sunspots. Galileo believed that the universe's natural order could be explained in mathematical terms.
Did you know?
Galileo was placed under house arrest during the last nine years of his life? He was found guilty of heresy due to advocating the heliocentric theory. In 1633, the Church found him guilty of heresy and then gave him his punishment of house arrest. It took the Church over 300 years to clear Galileo's name and admit that he was right all along.
Isaac Newton (1642-1727) believed that every object in the universe was affected by gravity. This would explain why the planets move in an orderly manner. Newton also believed strongly in observing a phenomenon before explaining it. Newton did extensive research with optics (light and color) and even invented a reflecting telescope.
Francis Bacon (1561-1626), not related to Roger Bacon, is sometimes called the father of Empiricism. Empiricism is the theory that all knowledge is derived from sense-experience.
The Scientific Revolution caused economic and political growth in Protestant areas of Europe, as well as free thinking that helped begin the Industrial Revolution. The Scientific Revolution also caused women to want more rights such as an education. The brilliant minds listed above have forever changed our knowledge of the universe and the methods which we use for scientific research and discovery.
Recorded Lecture, Backman 465-473, http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/galileo-is-convicted-of-heresy