the european scientific revolution in global perspective

The European Scientific Revolution in Global

PerspectiveReadings: http

://faculty.fullerton.edu/nfitch/history110b/scitech.html

China

European Science Was related to the

Greeks Much of it was

preserved in Alexandria by people from the Middle East

Euclid –worked on geometry

European Science (continued) Ptolemy worked in

Astronomy He was heavily

influenced by Babylonian Astronomy

Galen worked in Medicine.

All incorporation of Mesopotamian sources into Greek sources

Middle Ages

Science of Ancient World was preserved by Islamic Scholars

Islamic Societies are known as the great Synthesizers

Decimal System was from India

Paper came from China which meant math could now be done on paper

Mathematics and Science Al-Khwarizmi was a

central Asian mathematician and philosopher.

Trigonometry came from India

Fibonacci studied Persian texts

New Information Copernicus’ model of

lunar motion same as Ibn al-Shatir (Damascus, 1375)

Copernicus’ descriptions of motions of other planets same as two people—Mu’ayyad al-Din al-’Urdi (Damascus, 1266) and Nasir al-Din al-Tusi (Mongol, Central Asia 1274

What happened? Europe began to see and think differently than

the rest of the world Development of Perspective Drawing, which was

critical for machine making.

Brunelleschi was an Italian artist who studied Arab science.

Alberti, another Italian artist, in 1453 developed math and geometry of linear perspective.

Leonardo Da Vinci Think of him as an

artist however he studied everything in order to paint it.

He saw himself as more of an engineer than a painter.

He used perspective to draw machines.

Rise of Science in EuropeBrought sciences and artisans together in

Royal-sponsored Scientific AcademiesThe rise of the “Public Sphere”Ultimately led to application of science to

technical problems.New machines came to be and new

sources of power.These new things lead to more advanced

weapons and other tools.

Scientific Inventions

Advanced Weapons

What was the response After Newton, science in Europe was not as linked to

religion as it once was.

Islamic Societies had a hard time with the new science. It was not consistent with the Qu’ran like Greek science. But, the idea of the sun at the center of the universe was not a crisis as it was for Western Europe

Arab science lags behind western science into the 19th century largely because of influence of conservative ulama, who believed God punishing Arabs for seeking the secrets of divine truth.

What was the response in China?

Jesuits like Ricci tried to impress the Chinese with mechanical toys, European science, and clocks

Chinese were not interested in western science or technology. They did not see the point to it –though they let Jesuits run their observatories because of the accuracy of their astronomical predictions

KaozhengNew Chinese intellectual movement of the

Qing Dynasty“Seek truth from facts”Precision, accuracy, and rigorous analysis to

understand any problemRevival of ancient Chinese mathematical texts

Partly to show that Western science derived from traditional Chinese mathematics

Japan’s Response

“Eastern Ethics and Western Science”

Allowed Dutch one trading port—imported many European books, especially science, medicine, and mathematics

They recognized the significance of western science and technology, but understood it in the context of a Confucian culture