Science – A New Way of Thinking

The Trial of Galileo

“Galileo entered the hushed courtroom and knelt in front of the Cardinals. The Church had always taught that the Earth was at the centre of the universe. Galileo had published a book in which he argued that the Sun was at the centre, and the

Earth – like the other planets – travelled around it. Galileo based his conclusions on observations he made with the new, powerful telescope he had developed.

The Church charged Galileo with heresy and ordered him to give up his views. If he refused, he knew he might be tortured or even burned alive for heresy. Galileo made his decision. He read out a statement denying his belief in a Sun-centred

universe.For publishing a book (Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems) that challenged Church teachings, Galileo was sentenced to house arrest on his estate for the rest of his life. The Church put his book on the Index of Prohibited Books, a list of titles that Catholics were forbidden to read.

But Galileo knew that he was right. After he finished reading the statement, he is believed to have whispered to himself, “Eppur si muove” (But the Earth still

moves).”

Q: According to the story, why was Galileo sentenced to house arrest?Q: With which elements of the worldviews icon did Galileo's knowledge conflict? See textbook for elements.Q: What would you have done if you were Galileo? Why?

The Scientific Method Attitudes toward science started

to change during the Renaissance

Thinkers started to expand the range of texts they read

The new idea of Humanism encouraged people to question and experiment

• What belief is this?

Scientific Method: The process of making observations, experimenting and drawing conclusions based on evidence

This led to discoveries in many different areas of science

Astronomy, medicine and mathematics

We must consult experience in the variety of cases and circumstances until we can draw from them a general rule that is contained in them. And for what

purposes are these rules good? They lead us to further investigations of nature and to creations of art.

- Leonardo da Vinci

The Scientific Method

1. Identify the problem or question

2. Gather information on the problem.

3. Form a hypothesis, or educated guess

4. Experiment to test the hypothesis

5. Record and analyze data

6. State a conclusion

7. Repeat the steps

Astronomy For thousands of years, most people believed that the Sun went around the Earth

– Ptolemy introduced this idea of the universe

Europeans believed that God had placed the Earth at the centre

– Why would this make sense to Christians at this time?

The new theories presented by Galileo and others threatened this long-standing worldview

It would permanently change how people looked at the universe

Astronomer How Discoveries Were Made

Discoveries

Nicolaus Copernicus

Polish Atronomer

Got ideas from Greek astronomers whose ideas were

not accepted in their day

Earth is a planet that moves around a stationary Sun

Johannes Kepler

German Mathematicia

n and Astronomer

Tried to combine Ptolemy's and Copernicus'

systems. Spent 20 years using math to test and prove his

ideas

Concluded that planets travelled in an elliptical (oval) orbit, not perfect circles as Copernicus

believed.

Galileo GalileiItalian

Astronomer and

Philosopher

Built telescopes and studied objects in

the sky

Through observation confirmed Copernicus' idea of a Sun-centred universe.

Saw sun spots, craters, and mountains on the moon, the

stars, the Milky Way, and Jupiter's moons

Astronomers and Their Ideas

Medicine“In one pound of olive oil cook ten green lizards and filter them through linen; add one

measure of marjoram and wormwood; cook slowly and set by for use.”- Medieval prescription for treating wounds

What does the above RX tell us about early medicine?

Doctors had little knowledge about anatomy and the causes of disease

Remedies were based on astrology, superstition, bloodletting, and the four humours

During the Renaissance, midwives and others who had knowledge of herbal remedies played an important role in treating sickness

During the Renaissance, medical knowledge increased

Particularly in anatomy and surgery The scientific method began to be

applied to how the human body worked – yay humanism!

Francois RabelaisPhysician and Translator

Anatomy During the Renaissance,

dissection was made legal in many Italian cities

Andreas Vesalius of Padua University, dissected bodies while his students observed

De Humani Corporis Fabrica (On the fabric of the human body)

Dissection was very controversial up until the Renaissance; it was discouraged greatly by the Church

Why do you think this is?

Look at the anatomy class. Would one look different today?

Leonardo da VinciAnd the Human Body

Mathematics Ancient works by Euclid (geometry) and al-

Khwarizmi (algebra) were studied with new attention during the Renaissance

Da Vinci and others believed that mathematics was the basic tool needed for understanding the universe

Mathematical proofs were an important part of the scientific method

Math was used in many disciplines Math became increasingly important in the

changing economy

Used by the merchant class

Earlier civilizations contributed much to Renaissance mathematics

- India: the number zero

- Muslim Civilization: refined the decimal system

Perspective Perspective had been known in the

ancient world, but no record of it has ever been found

Renaissance architect Filippo Brunelleschi rediscovered perspective

He used perspective drawings to show how the buildings he was planning to build would look

He developed his technique through experimentation and by applying mathematical principles

Perspective was also used in many different areas

Painters, sculptors, engineers, architects and even musicians

Provides an illusion of depth

Brunelleschi's Technique1. He began by painting over a

reflection of a building called the Baptistry on the surface of a mirror

2. Then, in order to prove that his painting was identical to the Bapistry, he drilled a small peephole in the painted mirror and stood in front of the Bapistry

3. He looked through the hole in the back of the painted mirror and held up blank mirror to block his view of the Bapistry. The blank mirror reflected his painted image

4. By moving the blank mirror in and out of the way, he could see that his painted image was identical to the actual building

Homework Assignment1) Renaissance worldview encouraged observation and

experimentation to learn about the world. What discoveries were made as a result of this? Fill in the following chart. /9

Discipline Innovator(s) Discovery(ies)

Astronomy

Medicine

Mathematics