Ch. 5: The Enlightenment and Scientific Revolution
Terms
undefined, object
copy deck
- Nicholas Copernicus (1473-1543)
- Polish, proposed theory of heliocentricism, but with circular orbits. Was very cautious about presenting his findings, dedicated his book to Pope Paul III
- Salons
- Gatherings of philosophes in Parisian private homes that led to exchange of ideas propagated by salonnieres. Anyone could attend, questioned status quo.
- Adam Smith (1723-1790)
- Scottish professor, published Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations arguing against mercantilism. Liked laissez-faire government, didnt want individuals being restricted by the state.
- Bruno (1548-1600)
- Dominican Friar, was executed by papal inquisition for arguments on plurality of worlds in universe, catholics translated as pluralities of christ, an intolerable heresy.
- Heliocentric Theory
- The theory that the earth and of the other planets revolve around the sun
- Galileo (1564-1642)
- Italian Physicist and astronomer, provided evidence for the heliocentric theory of Copernicus, developed physics of mechanics. Was condemned and put under house arrest by Pope Urban VIII for astronomical observations.
- Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679)
- Influenced by Harvey to apply experimental methods of science to politics. Horrified by the depravity of man, wrote in Leviathan that life was nasty, brutish, and short. Believed strongly in absolutism, that states restrained Human urges to destroy each other. Gave sovereign total authority, absolutely no rebellion, gladly accepted Cromwell's rule with iron fist.
- Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)
- French writer and philosopher, wanted total democracy as depicted in The Social Contract. Stated that all men were entitled to inalienable rights. Was a critic of an elite society still dominated by status, patronage, privilege.
- John Locke (1632-1704)
- Wrote Two Treatises on Government before 1688, was instrumental in American law. Believed that man was born free, government only necessary in organization, not restraint. Believed man enters into a social contract with the state entitling him to the rights of life, liberty, and property. Insisted that man was free to rebel if rights are infringed upon. Letter Concerning Toleration stated that Christianity was spread by force=bad. Essay on Human Understanding stated children enter world with blank slate (nurture vs. nature).
- Voltaire (1694-1778)
- French writer who embodied 18th century rationalism. Struck by England's tolerance and freedom of expression, allowed for happiness of the individual (a notion lacking in France). Hated Catholic bigotry, narrow-mindedness. Was a deist (God created and then walked away). Candide written after Lisbon earthquake (1759), extremely pessimistic in which disaster after disaster occurs. Also published Treatise on Toleration following trial and execution of Jean Calas. Got verdict overturned, used it as lynchpin in fight for religious toleration.
- Francis Bacon (1561-1626)
- England's Lord Chancellor in the court of James I, wrote utopian essay extolling science's benefits for a peaceful society and human happiness. Works encouraged empirical method and inductive reasoning. attacked Medieval scholasticism: body of knowledge complete, knowledge needed only to be elaborated.
- Mechanistic Worldview
- 17th century philosophical view that saw the world as a machine that functions in strict obedience to physical laws, without purpose or will. Experience and reason were regarded as the standards of truth.
- Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727)
- British physicist, mathematician, natural philosopher. Masterpiece-Principia (1687). Utilized Galileo's theories on physics to deduce that a universal force (gravity) kept planets in orbit. Invented calculus, headed British Royal Society which led to increased experimentation. Experimented with optics, making it a scientific endeavor, found that white light was a heterogeneous mixture, not pure. was very religious, practiced alchemy.
- Empirical Method
- Philosophical view developed by Bacon and Locke, asserting that all knowledge is based on observation and experimentation and that general principles should be derived from particular facts.
- Philosophes
- French term referring to thinkers and critics of the Enlightenment era, including Voltaire and Diderot. Applied to political and social thought the confidence in human reason and the intelligibility of natural law that Newton and other scientists recently achieved.
- Rene Descartes (1596-1650)
- French philosopher, scientist, and mathematician. He emphasized skepticism and deductive reasoning (the anti-Bacon). Most famous treatise Discourse on Method. Offered first alternative physical explanation of matter after the Copernican revolution
- Enlightened Despotism
- Term for reform-oriented rule of 18th century monarchs such as Frederick the Great and Catherine the Great. Applied Enlightenment solutions to economic problems, encouraged education and legal reform, improved agricultural productivity by enabling peasants to own land on which they worked.
- Laws of Motion
- The natural laws of gravity, planetary motion, and inertia first laid out in 17th century by Newton. Newton demonstrated that the laws could be applied to the Solar System and could predict existence of planets
- Tycho Brahe (1546-1601)
- Danish, lost part of his nose in a duel and replaced it with a prosthetic made of gold and silver. Proposed system of moon and sun revolving around earth while other planets revolved around the sun.
- Johannes Kepler (1571-1630)
- A student of Brahe's, disagreed with his teacher. Disregarded Copernicus' theory on circular orbits, instead proposed elliptical orbits, however could not prove theory (Newton did).