Introduction
Throughout the time period of 1400 CE-1700 CE, many great thinkers lived that made exceptional observations and innovative inventions that ultimately helped Europe recover from its dark ages and become one of the greatest empires on Earth. There were astronomers, mathematicians and physicists who thought of some of these great ideas. As you see below, some of the most famous thinkers around this time period are described and their contributions to the advancement in society are shown.
Heliocentric Theory
In the 16th century, an astronomer named Nicolaus Copernicus created a mathematical model of the heliocentric theorem. Copernicus was also a Renaissance mathematician and a Catholic monk. Later in time, two well known thinkers named Johannes Kepler and Galileo Galilei expanded Copernicus’ initial ideas. Of course, in order to advance in research, these scientists needed technology. This new technology was called a telescope, allowing Kepler and Galilei to support observations. The heliocentric theorem states that the Sun is the center of the universe, and that Earth and the other planets revolve around the stationary Sun. Of course, this theory contradicts the original geocentric theory. The geocentric theory states that the Earth is the center of the universe, and the sun, along with all of the other planets, revolve around it. It was created by Aristotle and Ptolemy.
How does this relate to Europe coming to power?
The idea of a heliocentric universe does indeed help Europe come to power. It gives them an intelligence advantage over many other countries who at the time still thought that the Earth was the center of the universe (still were believed in the geocentric theory). In believing that this theory is true, it leads to future astronomers to discovering many great things about astronomy.
The idea of a heliocentric universe does indeed help Europe come to power. It gives them an intelligence advantage over many other countries who at the time still thought that the Earth was the center of the universe (still were believed in the geocentric theory). In believing that this theory is true, it leads to future astronomers to discovering many great things about astronomy.
Scientific Method
With the scientific revolution in full affect around the time of around 1500's-1600's, a new approach to the thought of science emerged, even with the large opposition of the church. What could have been the rediscovery of some of Plato, a well-known Greek philosopher. With his teachings, people learned that learning of the nature of people is more important than the simple appearence. His teachings about the importance of mathematics also inspired many people in the scientific revolution to acheive many new observations and inventions. Over time, the scientific method was created by two revolutionary thinkers, Francis Bacon and René Descartes. The scientific method was a step-by-step process that required scientists to collect and accurately measure data. The scientific method works as follows:
1. A scientist would state the problem that they were trying to solve.
2. The scientists would gather initial information to educate themsleves.
3. Scientists use a hypothesis, which is a reasoning to purpose to explain their take on data.
4. The scientist would experiment to test the hypothesis.
5. After observing and experimenting, the scientist would then collect, record, and analyze their data.
6. With all the data needed, the scientist could then draw conclusions relating to their hypothesis.
7. Once conclusions were drawn, they could communicate their data to the outside community, answering questions through previous data collected.
1. A scientist would state the problem that they were trying to solve.
2. The scientists would gather initial information to educate themsleves.
3. Scientists use a hypothesis, which is a reasoning to purpose to explain their take on data.
4. The scientist would experiment to test the hypothesis.
5. After observing and experimenting, the scientist would then collect, record, and analyze their data.
6. With all the data needed, the scientist could then draw conclusions relating to their hypothesis.
7. Once conclusions were drawn, they could communicate their data to the outside community, answering questions through previous data collected.
Notable Great Thinkers
Galileo Galilei
Galileo Galilei was an Italian astronomer, mathematician, and physicist who played a big part in the Scientific Revolution. His two major achievements were the improvement of the telescope and observations that led to proof that Nicolaus Copernicus heliocentric theory was indeed true. His findings of the Heliocentric theory greatly troubled the catholic church, who ultimately forced the man to say that his observations were indeed false and that he believed in the geocentric theory (that the earth is the center of the universe) According to many astronomers today, Galileo Galilei, more than any other astronomer, is most responsible for the birth of modern science. Galileo also created the law of the pendulum, which states that when a pendulum swings back and forth, the time period between each swing was exactly the same. This observation was later used to regulate clocks, giving credit to Galileo’s resume for another great observation. Another great invention of Galileo’s was the very first instrument to record temperature. This was called a rudimentary thermometer. It recorded temperatures by a raising water level (we know thermometers today for using mercury instead of water). In 1596, Galileo created a military compass that allowed for much greater accuracy when firing cannonballs at war.
Tycho Brahe
Tycho Brahe was another famous astronomer around the 16th century. He was a Danish nobleman known for his accurate planetary observations. Before the time period of telescopes, Brahe made the most precise observations. He made observations on Mars, which greatly helped Kepler prove the planetary motion, that the planets revolve on an ellipses. Brahe also made new observations about supernovas and comets. Like many of the famous astronomers, Tycho Brahe proposed a model of the Solar System that was an improvement from Ptolemy’s model but was not as advanced as Copernicus’ future models. Although some of Brahe’s ideas were proven false, the overall quality of the ideas led to great development of modern astronomy.
Johannes Kepler
Johannes Kepler was a German mathematician and astronomer who was a key figure in the scientific revolution. Is best known for his laws of planetary motion, where he states that all the planets have an orbit revolving around the stationary Sun. At one point, he was the assistant of Tycho Brahe, another famous astronomer. Later in his life, Johannes Kepler created an improved version of the refracting telescope. This was called the Keplerian Telescope.
Isaac Newton and his works of gravity and calculus
Isaac Newton was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher. He could is known by many as the greatest and most influential scientist who ever lived. At around the age of 24, Isaac Newton formed a theory to explain why the planets moved the way that they did. He stated that the created laws of gravity and motion that seemed to answer many of the scientific questions in society. He believed that all motion in the universe can be measured and described mathematically. Many of his laws of motion still hold to be true today, although some of them are questioned. His laws of motion continue to have many helpful uses, with one being calculus. His development of Calculus also guided him in proving his laws of gravity. Calculus can be defined as the branch of mathematics that deals with limits and the differentiation and integration of functions of one or more values.
How do these great thinkers relate to the growth of Europe?
These scientists shown above are just a few of the great "thinkers" of this time. Even though they are the most well-known, many other individuals existed that greatly contributed to the advancement of the scientific society. But what these people found out put gave them a huge knowledge advantage over foreign countries, which can be compared to technology advantages at war, it was easier for the Europeans to observe these great things just as it was easier to win battles back in these times for countries who had a technological advantages and had the use of firearms and explosives. What great scientists had invented, such as the telescope, allowing for easier, more effective observations, and the pendulum, eventually leading to the invention of a clock had definitely given them an advantage over foreign countries.
These scientists shown above are just a few of the great "thinkers" of this time. Even though they are the most well-known, many other individuals existed that greatly contributed to the advancement of the scientific society. But what these people found out put gave them a huge knowledge advantage over foreign countries, which can be compared to technology advantages at war, it was easier for the Europeans to observe these great things just as it was easier to win battles back in these times for countries who had a technological advantages and had the use of firearms and explosives. What great scientists had invented, such as the telescope, allowing for easier, more effective observations, and the pendulum, eventually leading to the invention of a clock had definitely given them an advantage over foreign countries.